Encounters of the Spark
by WhisperedMemories
Summary: I am thought to be the best weapons specialist in the army and one of the greatest shots in history. I take pride in that, but what I truly fight for is my family. And how I ever raised a sparkling during all of it, I'll never know.
1. How did this happen?

_**Encounters of the Spark: Chapter 1**_

_**A/N: This Story has no real relation to Frozen Tears or For Those That We Love!**_

Okay, I had this epiphany one day as I was listening to "Save me" by Nickelback and this is the final product. My goal is to make this fic only ten chapters. Let's see if I can do it. I probably won't, but for your sake, I'll try. 

Credit for scruffbar goes to Karategal. If anything else needs to be credited, don't hesitate to remind me!

And without further ado: 

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_How in the Pit did this happen?_

**Ironhide's POV**

I gunned my engine, loving the roar of the wind in my audios as I sped across the flatlands outside of Iacon. The second sun glinted off of my armor, for which I was named. It felt incredible, like I was flying-

"Ironhide, if you don't get your aft back home this instance I will kill you."

I sighed. Leave it to the femme to interrupt me. We had been bonded for almost too long, but what can I say? I loved Chromia more than anything.

"May I ask why you are calling me so urgently?"

"Optimus is here… and oh 'Hide, he's in such a mess."

"I'm on my way 'Mia. Make sure he doesn't leave."

I pulled a U turn and slid along the metal ground for what seemed like an eternity and then raced back towards the glittering towers of the capital of Cybertron. My spark raced as I fled across the expanse, hoping that my family would be alright when I got there.

000000000

I transformed right outside of my domicile and blew open the door.

"Surprise!" screamed a dozen of my closest friends from various places around the room.

I reeled back in surprise as I was rushed by my friends.

"What the Pit? Chromia, why the frag are you calling me about Optimus?"

Said sparkmate giggled and stepped out from behind him, toting a toddling Bumblebee. I smiled upon seeing the sparkling that we had adopted as our own son not too long ago when the Youth Sectors had been destroyed. In fact, where the pit had they gotten the time to throw me a party?

I picked up Bumblebee and ushered everyone else back inside as the sun finally set over my beloved planet and night fell.

"So," I said looking down at Chromia "Just how did you get everyone here while a war is going on?"

"Let's just say I figured out how to bribe Prowl" she smirked. I raised an eye cover, Prowl was known for being immune to bribes.

"And that would be?"

"That's for me to know, and for you to suffer about."

I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. When I leaned back up, Optimus held out an enormous box engraved with my name.

"Happy Spahkday daddy!" Bumblebee giggled. I nuzzled him once then gave him to his mother so I could open the present. I took the box into my battle worn hands and ran my hands over the symbol on the top.

The box gave a click and slowly began to fold in on itself. I watched in anticipation as the shape of a titanic cannon took its place and when it was done, I picked it up and the plasma rounds inside pulsed excitedly in my hand.

"How did you get one of these? They haven't even been approved yet."

"Well, being Prime does have its advantages."

"Like dating me you mean?" called a voice from the doorway. We all turned to see Elita standing there, holding another box bearing my name. Chromia ran to hug her friend as she walked in.

"You made it! I thought you said you had to work?"

"Well," she pause for a minute "I simply couldn't miss my _sparkmate's _surprise party for his oldest friend.

We stared in silence for a moment, and then Chromia squealed and hugged her friend again. I turned around and stared in amazement at Optimus. He sighed and slumped against the wall.

"Thanks Elita. Like I really wanted them to know why I was _really _late today."

I roared in laughter along with the rest of the mechs in the room and went over to give him a hug.

"It's about time you grew the ball bearings to finally do it" I joked.

"Yeah, but now she wants sparklings" he groaned. I looked over at Chromia and Bumblebee and tilted my head slightly.

"Oh, it's not so bad Prime."

"That's exactly why I can't have sparklings. Because I'm Prime, Megatron will know about them the moment they're born and come after them" he murmured. I turned up at him and put my hands on my hips like I used to do when I was punishing him when he was younger.

"Listen up you. Don't you ever let that fragger spoil your happiness just because he's the damn leader of the Decepticons."

Optimus didn't say anything, but I caught the smallest hint of a smile on his face as he went to go hug his mate. Elita tenderly put her hands on his face as he bent down and pulled his forehead to hers. Yeah, she would be good for him.

"Here daddy, for you fwum Auntie Elita and me!"

I looked down to see my bright yellow youngling holding up the box that Elita had been carrying. I picked him up and held him close.

"Oh really now, and when did this happen?"

"Yesday, in the mahket pwace. Auntie took me shopping there and I sees this and goes, that's for daddy! And then she told me to keep it a secwet until today."

I laughed and gave him a kiss on his forehead. He pressed the button on top for me and it slowly opened to reveal an ornately framed holo-cube. It opened as soon as I touched it and it revealed a brightly glowing picture. It was everyone I knew, lined up in front of the doors of Decagon on the first day of the war. Prime, sad despite the smile on his face and Elita close at his side with Chromia at hers. I was standing on Optimus's other side, primed and ready for a fight.

Ratchet, Prowl and even Jazz had paused to be included in the picture. That had been almost four million vorns ago. Now, we weren't so eager to fight, and we had so much more to lose.

I heard a tiny squeak and saw that Bumblebee had fallen into recharge. His scruffbar had gotten caught on my armor and it was making him uncomfortable. I gently shifted him away and walked quietly down the hall to his nursery.

As I was putting him into his berth, I looked out of his window. Far away on the horizon, I saw a plume of smoke rising into the air on the once peaceful landscape. How had we gotten this far into the fight?

How did we let it get this far?

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**Just to let you all know, this is a story about Ironhide and Chromia raising Bumblebee in the middle of the Great War. **

**In my story, the Great War has been going on and off for the last four million vorns ever since Sentinel Prime was killed by Megatron and the Decepticons were formed. At this point, Barricade is still living with Prowl, but he won't be about 3000 vorns from now (When he's the cybertronian equivalent of an 11 year old.) When the Youth Sectors were destroyed 300 vorns ago (basically 3 years) the war truly began with ferocity and Bumblebee was adopted by Ironhide and Chromia.**

**Please Review and let me know if you like the idea!**


	2. By the Way

_**Encounters of the Spark: Chapter 2**_

So the last chapter was full of fluff, so this one has got to have a bunch of violence and drama ;)

**By the Way…**

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**Chromia's POV**

"Get those wounded out of here!" I screamed as the Seekers rained down plasma fire from the skies, filling the area with fire and smoke. Elita and Ironhide were on either side of me, yelling out commands of their own. Energon ran down my face, but it was not my own.

Another bomb exploded beside me and I could feel myself being pulled out of the way by Ironhide. I could hear the shrapnel pierce his armor and I clutched his chest when he grunted in pain. The smoke cleared and he stood up and put out a hand to help me. I looked around immediately for Elita.

I panicked for a klick when I didn't see her right away, but her silhouette appeared an astro-second later in the dust. She brushed herself off and picked her gun up and walked back over to us. A silence had fallen over the battlefield as we watched her come forward.

She didn't take a second look at us, but instead, was staring intently in the direction of Optimus and Megatron. They continued to fight, but what caught my attention was the smoke coming from the direction off… oh Primus, the nurseries. Elita realized it too and screamed for us to head back to the base.

Ironhide and I were already gone by the time she finished her order. I sped ahead of my bulkier sparkmate and flew past the guards by the gates before they even knew what hit them. The streets themselves seemed to be on fire as I turned around every corner. I could only think about one thing.

My sparkling.

When I got to the nursery, I came to a dead halt. There was nothing but a corner left of the building, and even that was a twisted pile of slag. Smoke swirled around me as I slumped to my knees. He wasn't truly mine, so I had no way of knowing if he was truly dead. I began to cry, something I hadn't done in vorns.

Suddenly, I heard a wail.

I perked up, listening for it again. It was silent and I felt my spark clench. Then, cry went up in the air. I didn't hesitate as I ran into the collapsed building. I set my optics to night vision and peered into every corner. There shouldn't have been any survivors, but sitting under a half-melted table, were three sets of blue optics. Bumblebee gave a pitiful cry when he saw me and I immediately scooped him up.

I heard several other pairs of footsteps and I grabbed the other two younglings just in case it was Decepticons coming in for a sweep. It was.

I quickly ran out the back of the smoking heap as the glowing red optics grew closer. The younglings were deathly silent as I back away, my gun primed and ready. As I backed up, a hand reached out and grabbed my shoulder. I turned, aiming my gun at the forehead of the mech.

"Whoa there 'Mia, it's Ironhide!"

I threw myself at my mate, glad that it wasn't Megatron or one of the other fraggers. As he held me, other soldiers appeared, looking pissed off and even angrier than I had been. The remaining Decepticons didn't have a chance. I covered the youngling's optics and couldn't help but giggle as Kup made some rather rude statements as he went.

But it was a sad, because out of over a hundred younglings only three had survived.

Ironhide led me away from the mechs finishing off the remaining Decepticons and over to where Ratchet was treating the wounded. He was yelling out orders like a madmech and had even Optimus scurrying around to appease him.

"Hey Prime, did you post a squad at the other nurseries?!" Ironhide shouted over to the flustered mech. At this, he straightened up and crossed his arms.

"Of course I did. This **will not **happen again. Too much innocent energon has been spilled already."

I stepped forward and held up the two younglings that I had found.

"Well, do you know anyone looking for some innocent energon to raise?"

"Where the frag were they?"

"Inside the nursery with Bumblebee."

At that precise moment, Elita just happened to appear out of nowhere and put herself in Optimus's spot.

"We'll take them."

Optimus growled warningly at that statement.

"At least until their creators are found or someone better suited comes along" she said, a huge grin plastered on her face. Optimus nodded at that, but Elita winked at me and I knew they were going to have one Pit of a fight later.

"Hey, don't talk 'bout us like we's not here!" the red sparkling huffed.

His yellow counterpart huffed indignantly to add his part.

"I'm Sideswipe and he's Sunstreaker. He don't talk much jus' to let you know."

Ironhide roared with laughter at this.

"Have fun Prime!"

"Thanks Ironhide, you're really helping."

"HEY, QUIT YOUR BLABBING AND GET YOUR AFT OVER HERE IRONHIDE!" Ratchet bellowed, pointing his wrench at him. I dumped the twins into Elita's arms and took Bumblebee as my mate grudgingly approached one of his oldest and most fearsome friends.

I smiled and turned my attention to the twittering sparkling in my arms. I stroked his head lovingly as he burrowed into my chassis.

"I love you my little one" I murmured.

"Love you too momma."

That was the last time I ever left him at nursery during work. It was also the last time I ever ran away from a fight.

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**Alright, so I lied. There was some fluff in this chapter too. Bumblebee will be a bit older in the next chapter, so it should get a little more actiony.**

**Please review!**


	3. Like a Child

_**Encounters of the Spark: Chapter 3**_

Hmmm… how about we do a chapter from Bumblebee's POV.

He's 800 vorns here and the twins are 1000. (8 and 10)

**Like a Child**

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**Bumblebee's POV**

I was left under the watchful eye of Prowl once again. Mom and dad didn't think Jazz was "responsible" enough to look after me. Well, he was perfectly fine for Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, but not for me? How unfair is that!

Of course, the twins had to deal with Aunt Elita as a primary caretaker. Even mom isn't as scary as she is.

Now, if I could just reach the keypad…

"Don't even think about it."

He didn't even look up from his datapads! I sat back down with a huff. It was so boring in Prowl's office; he never had anything interesting to do. I started towards the door again, and just when I about reached it, Prowl grabbed me by my scruffbar and opened the door himself. He smiled down at me.

"Just stay in this hallway, and don't go near Wheeljack's lab."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I squealed, running off to find my best friends. I sprinted towards the Rec room, only to be stopped by a stern pair of blue legs.

"Bumblebee Circinus, you have three astro-seconds to tell me what you're doing out of Prowl's office."

"But he let me out mom."

"What? That doesn't make any-"she broke off and swung me up into her arms as the bot who was supposed to be Prowl transformed into a green mech, proudly wearing the hated purple symbol on his chest. I just can't catch a break today!

Before mom could take another step, the decepticon had leapt in front of us.

"Not today femme. You are wanted across the base for the murder of Grimlock's crotch plate."

"Well, to be fair I told him to keep his fragging hands off my sparkling that idiotic son-of-a- Grimlock?"

Yep, that was mom, killer of the evil and scourge of the mechs. She also made the best energon goodies on the planet, not that I was allowed to tell anybody. Wait, Grimlock?

The decepticon giggled and waved as his shape began to morph and then shrink. I peeked out of my mother's shoulders to see Jazz's grinning face and the twins sitting on his shoulders. Dad came running a few klicks later, arm cannons humming and face pulled into a snarl.

"Where the slag is the decepticon 'Mia?"

"Right there 'Hide. Please shoot him before I do."

Mom's voice was deadly calm and icy. I reached for dad and he took me while backing up from the angry femme.

"They are soooo scrapped" I whispered. Dad nodded down at me.

"Take the advice from experience, never piss off your mother."

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A few days after the incident, the twins were back to roaming the halls of Decagon and causing chaos wherever they went. I would never understand how they gathered up the circuits to pull the pranks that they did. They were genius pranks, I had to admit.

"Hey Bee, come over here and look at this!" Hound shouted, waving me into the Rec room. I smiled and hurried to see what it was that he wanted to show me.

He picked me up when I reached his table and set me on his lap, and then he pulled out a holo-cube.

"I was out in the Beta Nebula and I decided to take some pictures. I thought you would like them."

"Oh wow, what's that?" I breathed, looking with fascination at a brightly colored swirl on the projection.

"It's the outside of the neighboring galaxy. It's called Ariston."

"It's so pretty, but not as pretty as my momma," I declared, proud that my mom was one of the more noticed femmes on base.

"Aww, my youngling is so cute!"

I turned excitedly to see her standing there, here face bright with a smile. I held out my arms and she lifted me up and held me close.

"You're back! I thought you weren't supposed to be home until tomorrow?"

"I promised didn't I?"

Everyone laughed at my surprised face when she pulled out a tiny box and handed it to me.

"I brought you a little something from Tyger Pax."

"Really? I hope it's a photo, I've always wanted to go there."

I opened the box carefully and pulled out one of the most delicate things I had ever seen. It was a small crystal cube, carved to look like the Allspark.

"Wow Chromia, where did you find one of those? Crystal city has been under Decepticon control for a good five vorns now," Hound asked.

"I have my sources Hound. It also helps when you're the mate of Prime's weapons specialist."

"Oh Primus 'Mia, did you pull rank again and have some bit-brained rookie go look for one for you?"

"Dad!" I squealed. He wasn't supposed to be home until later tonight.

"How's my favorite youngling?"

"Dad, I'm your only youngling."

"Well, the dynamic duo has been fragging with me for the last few orns."

He was interrupted by a swift smack to the back of the head by my mother.

"No wonder he's got such a dirty processor, he's got you swearing like a drunken Prime around him."

The entire table roared with laughter as dad grumbled and stormed out of the doors. Mom waved at everyone and followed him. She easily caught up to him and grabbed dad's hand. I crawled from her shoulder to dad's and put my arms around his helm.

"I'm glad you're home daddy."

"Oh, now you call me daddy, when you're in trouble for swearing again… but I'm glad I'm home too."

He nuzzled me and I chirped, returning the forehead rub. Dad plucked me off of his shoulder and held me up in front of him, scrutinizing me with his cerulean gaze.

"Did you grow again?"

I perked up immediately. He had noticed!

"Three whole inches!" I proudly declared, holding up my digits to maximize the effect.

"Slag you're getting big. You need to stop growing so fast, you're making me feel old."

Mom pitched in here.

"Yeah, where's my little sparkling that used to give me kisses every day?"

"Aww, mom I'll always give you a kiss, but you have to ask first."

She giggled and gave me a pat on the head. Suddenly, she let out a gasp. Dad and I turned to look where she was focused, and our mouths dropped open too.

The wall was covered in graffiti, but it was the most beautiful picture I had ever seen, more so than the Ariston galaxy. It was a city, Crystal City to be exact, before the Decepticons had taken over. It was so detailed, that I could see faces of mechs and femmes in the windows and transport far away in the sky.

"Who…?" mom wondered.

I heard a startled giggle and turned to look at the source. Sides had pushed a paint covered Sunstreaker out into the open. My parents turned to stare at him and he blanched at their glares.

"Am I in trouble?" he whimpered.

"Oh yes-" mom scolded. Sunstreaker put a grade A pout onto his face.

"-But you're also going to come with me to the market to get a proper painting tablet. You've got an amazing talent and I won't let it go to waste. This dreary place could use some brightening up anyway."

"What do you mean- oh my Primus, what the frag is that?!" Elita screeched when she rounded the corner. She immediately turned to glare at the twins.

"Sunstreaker, what have I told you about painting on the walls? You are in big trouble mister! Just you wait until Optimus gets off of work-"

"Elita, that's enough" said dad, barely able to suppress his smile. "He's just a youngling, it's just typical youngling behavior."

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were clinging to each other, hiding in a corner, their optics stretched wide for maximum innocence.

"Well, alright. But you are going to clean this up by the end of the cycle. And for goodness sake's go wash that paint off of your forehead Sunstreaker, you look worse than Ironhide when he doesn't recharge well."

Even Aunt Elita had a fun side. Sometimes.

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**Sooo, how did you like it? Was it boring, or did you dance around from all the cuteness? Let me know if I need to spice it up!**


	4. A Note from the Desk of

_**Encounters of the Spark: Chapter 4**_

*Sob* I'm already on chapter 4, how am I gonna cram it into ten? I know, I shall write a ginormous chapter later on. I promise!

And thanks for the reviews! They really brighten up my day, and don't worry, For Those We Love will be back in action soon!

Astro-second= .498 seconds

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Thoughts from the Desk of Optimus Prime

Oh Primus, how did I ever let Elita talk me into taking those two in? It must be the newness of our bond. Being bonded for only 500 vorns is like the blink of an eye, especially during wartime.

Yet, having little ones running around again is wonderful at times. Little Bumblebee is still the sweetest little thing on base. He still has trouble getting around the base because he's so small, so he's often being toted around by everyone. Even though he's already 800 vorns old, he still loves to nap in whoever's carrying him around's lap.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe is a whole other thing. I have never seen something so small move so fast. In fact, I don't think it's possible for 1000 vorn olds to move like that. They must have stolen something from Wheeljack's lab…again. I can tell that it is a cry for attention. Little Sunstreaker is very quiet a lot of the time, often speaking through his more vocal twin. Sideswipe is also sad in his own way. I have caught him when nobody is around and the smile on his face slips off faster than I can blink.

They still have yet to reveal why they were left alone at the nursery and where they originate from. I will give them time; they will tell me when they're ready.

"Optimus…"

I looked up to see Elita standing in my doorway holding the twins in each of her arms. They were fast asleep, purring softly as they rested on her chassis. It was an adorable picture, but it still made me clench my fists in anger. I shouldn't have to be doing this; these younglings should be able to live with their real creators in their home.

"All tuckered out huh?" I whispered, kissing her cheek. Elita giggled and gave me one on my nose while I was leaning down.

"You'll never believe what they did today; we have to go by the Rec room."

"They didn't rig the energon dispenser again, did they?"

"No, not this time, but they did something amazing."

She led me down the hallway, making more and more nervous as we got closer to the officer's quarters. Oh Primus, they didn't rig Ironhide's berth did they? He was especially cranky since he had gotten home from the council. Or maybe they made it so that Prowl's processor fritzed again. Or maybe-

The mural on the wall had thoughts braking so fast that I almost ran into Elita.

"It's Crystal City" I murmured.

"Yes, I think that's where they were created and raised when they were small."

"It would make sense. They are the most artistic younglings I've ever laid optics on and the city is well known for its art."

The twins purred contentedly and Elita nuzzled them affectionately. I sighed and breached the topic that I had been hoping to avoid.

"You know we have to send them away if the fighting gets any closer?"

She held them closer and glared at me.

"Ironhide and Chromia would never send Bumblebee away, so why should we send them?" she hissed.

"Elita, they aren't ours" I tried reasoning. "Their creators could be looking for them out there!"

Elita adjusted her grip on the small mechs and plopped them into my arms.

"Fine, if the great Optimus Prime is capable of dumping two defenseless younglings out into a war torn city, then prove it."

I gave her a pleading look and she turned her back on me and stalked down to our quarters. She knew I wouldn't do it, that's why she had handed them to me. Wasn't it?

Sunstreaker stirred slightly and I could feel his little sparkbeat against my chest as he and his brother slept on. They may not be mine, but dammit, I was going to try my best to raise them to be proper mechs.

That is, if I could keep them away from Jazz.

"Come on boys" I whispered "Let's go try to appease the femme overlord."

As I walked down the hallway, I swore I could hear them let out a giggle.

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A Note from the Desk of Prowl

_I was finally done with my work…three joors before I had to get up again. Being second in command was frustrating sometimes. I trudged back to my quarters, as I did every night, and went to check on Barricade. He was gone. I took a double look and then checked every corner of his room._

_My battle computer whirred as I thought of every possible way he could have gone missing._

_The odds weren't good. Among the hundreds of possibilities, 223 involved injuries, 334 death and 667 were Decepticons or other rebels. Oh slag… what was I going to do? For the first time in my life, I lost my logic. Who was experienced with sparklings? Let's see, Ironhide and Optimus were and along with their mates, I should have sufficient help._

_I ran frantically down the hall to bang on Ironhide's door. He didn't answer, so I hit the door again a lot harder._

"_Who the frag is making that racket?!" he roared, stomping to the door. He flung open his door and the surprised look on his face made me rethink how often I should do security checks._

"_Prowl, what the Pit are you doing here? Is something wrong?"_

"_Barricade is missing; since you have the most experience with younglings on the base you are the logical answer to help me" I simply stated. Logic dictated that I didn't have time to tell the full tale._

"_Alright, lead the way…"_

I woke with a start and looked around my apartment, expecting to see my brother snoozing beside me, despite all his sass. My spark gave a sad whine when I realized that it had been 500 vorns since my brother had left. He would be a handsome mech now, 1600 vorns old and ready to either join the army or work in the academy.

"_It's your fault Prowl."_

Yes mother, I know. I let the Decepticons attack Praxus. I let my brother be separated from me. I deserted him.

"_I hate you! You abandoned me!"_

"I'm sorry," I whispered to nobody but myself.

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A Note from the Desk of Jazz

I watched the twins wrestle for what had to be the fifth time today, and laughed.

"You guys are gonna get it when Elita gets back from her shift, I hope you know."

Sunstreaker turned and stuck out his tongue at me while Sideswipe gave me a rude gesture that I know Optimus had taught him.

"You little Pit spawns, C'mere so I can give you the worst noogie you've ever had!" I yelled and threw myself on top of the two younglings. They squealed and laughed as I tickled their abdominal plating.

"Well Jazz, it's official. You never hit upgrade so now you have to compensate by rolling around with younglings" snorted Blaster from across the room.

"Ah shut up you slaggard! You're just jealous because they like me best!"

"While that may be true you're still a pus-"

"One more syllable out of your mouth and I'll shoot it off your face!" growled Elita from the doorway.

"Yeah man," I said while trying not to laugh "Don't you know that's an inappropriate word to use around younglings?"

"But Jazz" Sideswipe innocently (NOT) protested, "You told me it was okay to use frag and slag when we're around mechs, but not around femmes because they glitch about it."

I felt shivers move up my spine when Elita turned to glare at me.

"Jazz… just you wait until you're next mission. I'll have you up so early that you won't be able to see straight and maybe I can get one of them to shoot you in the aft for being such a dumbaft."

I realized that I was in deep slag this time and frantically began to search for a way to get out of the Rec room. Suddenly, I had an ingenious idea.

"C'mere you little traitors!" I yelled and snatched up the twins and scrambled out the door. I heard Elita's light footsteps coming after me as I raced down the hall and out into the courtyard of Decagon.

The twins were howling with laughter the whole time as I ran across the metallic yard. They stopped when the entire base grew deathly silent. Elita stopped dead and held out her arms for her charges. The whine of the klaxons started up and I quickly threw myself over them astro-seconds before the whine of the first bomb filled the air and the world was scorched by a boiling mass of flames.

As soon as the fire receded I scooped up Elita and ran for the doorway of Decagon, only there was a yawning pit in front of it. We were totally cut off from the rest of the base and reinforcements. Another bomb was dropped, but this time it was further away. I saw one glimmer of hope that our afts wouldn't be fried today: Ironhide was barreling his way through the smoke from outside the city, cannons humming and ready to go, only, he didn't shoot.

He stayed protectively curled around something as he ran across he decimated courtyard. When he finally reached me, I could see a small yellow head peeking out of his arms. Frag it all to pit! I should have remembered that he had taken 'Bee out earlier to show him the weapons shop of an old friend.

I felt something struggling to get out of my grasp and with a burst of shame, I looked down to see Elita unconscious from the blast and the twins struggling to get out of her suffocating grip.

"Hang on just a few more klicks guys. I'll have you somewhere safe in no time." I tried to smile while I said this, but the terrified looks on their face broke my spark.

"Jazz, pay attention!" Ironhide snarled while taking shots, alternating arm cannons as he switched Bumblebee back and forth. I grabbed Bumblebee from him and dashed across the smoking wasteland towards the far wall where there was just the slightest bit of ground left to cross on. As soon as I was across, I took off again, struggling to run with my arms full of a taller femme and three younglings.

Optimus met me at the front doors, plasma cannon and energon blades humming.

"Take them to Ratchet and make sure Bumblebee is given to his mother. Chromia is quite frantic and itching to shoot the next mech dumb enough to get close to her."

With a gentle stroke to Elita's helm, he was gone. I hurried to obey his orders, eager to hurt those who had attacked my home.

I reached the command center where Chromia was howling commands louder than a jet engine. Mechs hurried to obey her and even the femmes were scrambling out of her way as she thundered around. I appeared beside her and plopped Bee into her arms.

"Here, Ironhide is outside, I've gotta take this lot to the Med Bay!" I dashed back out, expertly weaving in and out of the larger mechs running for the front doors. I was getting frantic when Elita began to moan in pain halfway around one corner. Then, total silence fell within the hallways.

It was as if an invisible force had suddenly stopped time. The mechs stopped running and stared at the ceiling as the klaxons fell silent. It was eerie. Eerier than when the first bombs had filled the skies.

Then, a titanic footstep echoed outside the base.

And another.

And another.

I felt my intakes halt as the footsteps thundered by. It was silent again, not a click or garble being spoken, even Sideswipe was silent, clinging to his brother in terror. Suddenly, Optimus's voice crackled over the comm. link.

"It's okay Jazz, it was just Omega Supreme, and the Decepticons have been driven away."

"Damn, I didn't even get to fight," I cursed.

"No, but you did save my mate and charges' lives."

"All in a day's work Prime, all in a day's work."

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**Filler chapter! Please Review!**


	5. Matters Concerning Bonds

_**Encounters of the Spark: Chapter 5**_

Oh my! Halfway through the story! Something important must be about to happen. And: I am so sorry that I made you wait this long! Christmas and New Years was a hectic time for me.

100 vorns= 1 year to a cybertronian basically. I know, my time is complicated for me too. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe are 200 vorns older than Bumblebee, so they've been fighting for about 2 years now.

**Warning**: Violence and implied "violation of personal space".

**Also**: a little bit of Optimus x Elita horizontal spark tango. **:3**

**Matters Concerning Bonds**

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**Ironhide's POV**

My how time flies; and crawls along. Bumblebee was 1500 vorns now, almost old enough to join the army, but far too young for him to have to think about it. He was trying on armor right now and Chromia was fussing around him. She would adjust a piece of armor on his arm, and then dart down to his lower leg armor with a polishing rag.

"Mom, it's fine, I promise" Bee laughed. Chromia smiled at him and gave him a loving smack to the back of the head.

"You can't blame a mother for trying to keep her child clean!"

"As if you could keep him clean!" I teased. Bee came over and nuzzled me; despite being older he was still a youngling dependent on his creators, purring when I rubbed his antennae.

"Why don't we go show Optimus and Elita?" I suggested. His face brightened and I walked proudly through the halls of Iacon with my family. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe sped up to us and cautiously inspected Bumblebee.

"Well, well, well, the little stinger has gotten his armor."

"Though sadly, he's still not as handsome as me."

I narrowed my optics at Sunstreaker. Lately, his memory relapses of being stuck in Kaon for 100 vorns had turned into narcissistic comments and actions. I had caught the young soldier scrubbing at his armor, late at night, mumbling about energon being stained into his circuits. It made me wonder what had happened down in the dank depths of Kolkular those vorns.

"Alright pipsqueaks, outta the way! We've got a meeting with Prime!" Chromia snarled and shoved them out of the way. Though, they weren't pipsqueaks anymore. Sideswipe towered over her and Sunstreaker was a whole head taller than me.

I chuckled as they hurriedly moved out of the way and Bumblebee murmured an apology as we passed. He burst out laughing as soon as we were out of audio range of the twins.

"Wow mom, you're one scary femme."

"I try my best my little bee."

"Please, _please,_ don't call me that in public."

"Aww, but you're still so cute!"

"That's enough 'Mia, don't torture the poor mech." The deep baritone of Optimus Prime announced his arrival in the hallway. I smiled at the mech I had helped raise, and one of my best friends, and clasped his forearm in the traditional army greeting. Elita soon appeared in the doorway next to him, her pale pink armor shining and as beautiful as always.

"Hello Ironhide, Chromia." She looked over to where Bumblebee stood with his newly armored chassis puffed out in pride.

"And who could this handsome mech be? Surely it can't be Bumblebee, he's only a youngling, isn't he?"

"Of course it's me Auntie Elita, do you like my armor? Dad had Jazz paint it for me."

She looked over the bright yellow and black paintjob with a skeptical look, but smiled for Bee.

"It's a lovely paintjob."

Bumblebee looked over at Optimus for his idol's approval, but my commander was distracted. His optics were staring far off and strange mixtures of emotions were running across his faceplate. Elita followed my gaze and put a hand on her mate's arm.

"Optimus?"

That seemed to shake him out of his daze and he turned to smile at Bumblebee. I followed his face with my optics and narrowed them when I still saw worry in Optimus's optics. Something was wrong.

"That armor is very becoming on you Bumblebee, I'm sure it will be very popular among the femmes."

"Don't you start femme magnet, I don't intend to be a grandbot until I'm well and ready to be" Chromia growled. Bumblebee's cheeks heated up until they were glowing a faint orange.

"Chromia, why don't you and Elita take Bumblebee down to the cafeteria? Optimus and I will catch up in a klick."

Chromia gave me a puzzled look, but did as I said and escorted the other two out of Optimus's office. As soon as the doors clicked shut, I rounded on the other mech.

"You have three astro-seconds to tell me what the frag has been bothering you these past few orns."

"It's my brother, he's planning something. Something that is making him very pleased. I keep feeling twinges of malevolent intent from our bond."

"Did you tell Prowl about this? Did you even tell Elita?"

"No. I was not sure that this was what I was feeling and I didn't want them to worry needlessly."

"When are you going to learn that it's our job to worry needlessly about you?! You're the last prime for frag's sake Optimus, you need to tell us that there's a death threat hanging over that aftheaded processor of yours!"

He looked away from me and I felt my spark soften. Optimus had the same watery look on his face that he used to get when he was in trouble.

"Look, I've already alerted Prowl of the situation and he's planning strategies. We'll worry about it after we get some energon. And please tell Elita about your bond with your brother. Take it from a veteran; it's better to tell your femme something like that than have her find out on her own."

Prime nodded and sullenly followed me down to the cafeteria. Chromia and Elita were staring at us with thunderous gazes when we appeared in the doorway. Optimus and I simultaneously flinched when they began to stalk towards us.

"Run dad! They found the stash!" Bumblebee wailed from where he was cowering in the corner.

"Oh slag" I heard Optimus mutter as we fled down the hallway.

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_100 vorns later_

**Chromia's POV**

It was quiet. It's always quiet before a battle. But this time, I was going to watch the fight instead of participate. Earlier today, I had been injured when Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were racing on the training fields. I chuckled when I remembered how angry Ironhide and Bumblebee had been. I was lucky to have two mechs fussing over me constantly.

Bumblebee was a full-fledged adult now, but he was still the sweetest thing. He came by at exactly 0800 hours every orn to say hello before he went off on his top secret scouting missions. If he had to leave especially early, he left a hologram message in his place. I had never seen him so furious before I had gotten hurt.

_I watched with amusement as Sunstreaker and Sideswipe sped across the training grounds, expertly weaving around one another. Elita laughed when Sideswipe honked a horn at us and whistled._

"_You sure are some pretty femmes!"_

_Suck ups. They knew they were in trouble because they were racing where they shouldn't. I heard Ironhide shout something and I assumed he was yelling at the twins so I didn't turn away from Elita._

_Schreeeeeecchh!_

_The next thing I knew, I was tumbling across the ground unable to feel my left side. I heard the twins transform and saw blurry images above me and heard several voices arguing around me._

"_You fraggers, you hit my mother because you were being stupid!"_

_It took me a moment to realize that it was Bumblebee roaring at the twins. I twitched my arm, trying to stop him from behaving that way, and howled at the unexpected pain that flared up. The voices grew angrier but all I felt from Ironhide was worry and love as I felt arms cradle me and gently pick me up._

"_Hide…"_

"_Shhh Mia, I'm here."_

"_Don't let Bee get so angry. It was my own fault."_

"_Okay my love, I promise."_

That was the last conscious thought I had before waking up in the recovery room of the Med Bay. The wail of klaxons filled the air once again and I tensed up as I waited for the bombing to start.

I grabbed a crutch when I felt the first tremor of a bomb shake the base. I was joined by several other patients to observe the battle from the large window in the recovery room. I felt a jab of fear from my mate as a large plume of smoke erupted from the courtyard of Decagon.

"_Don't worry 'Hide, I'm fine"._

"_I'm just checking 'Mia. And make sure you're around someone who can transport you if need-"_

He severed the bond, but not before I felt a stabbing pain of a plasma round tear his shoulder apart. That was it; I couldn't sit around while my mechs were being hurt.

"Someone find me a leg I can use!" I ordered while loading my rifle up. I almost snarled when no one moved to obey, until one femme that was berthridden unhooked her own leg and handed it to me.

"Here commander, fight for me as well. And if you see my daughter Firestar, tell her to watch her herself."

I nodded and snapped the leg into place. It was slightly longer than mine, but the joint fit and I was off. I sprinted out into the city, weaving my way through several small scale fights before spotting my youngling's bright yellow armor in a swirl of smoke.

"Bumblebee!" I screamed. He didn't see the mech heading towards him, cannon humming. At that moment, my borrowed leg decided to give out and I went down with a frustrated shriek. That got his attention and I screamed at him to turn around, but I knew it was too late.

_BANG._

My youngling's energon splattered on my face and his frame crashed to the ground. My processor went blank as my optics focused on the smoldering hole in Bumblebee's chest.

"Bumblebee," I whispered. He didn't move. "Bumblebee, answer me."

A faint whine emitted from him before his systems shut down from energon loss. Terror gripped my spark as the decepticon that had shot him raised his gun to take another shot.

"NO, BUMBLEBEE!" I screamed, writhing furiously, trying to reach my rifle.

A boiling blast of plasma slammed into the side of the mech which was accompanied by an enraged scream from my mate as he flew over me.

"You _dare _point a gun at my youngling?!" he roared, ripping off the left doorwing of the mech with his singular arm.

The mech howled in pain and anger and his gun fired, the round screaming towards me before I could move. My optics widened when a familiar black and white mech took the hit for me.

"Prowl" I breathed in surprise. He didn't answer me, but instead pointed his gun at the mech held down by Ironhide.

"Barricade, why would you run to the monster responsible for our creators' deaths? Did you think that you would get a chance to kill me if you joined the other side?"

"I hate you! I hate you! .YOU!" Barricade screamed from the ground.

I took the chance at his distraction and crawled over to where Bumblebee's silent frame was sprawled across the ground. I nearly purged my tanks when I saw the wound. No mother should have to see such a wound on her youngling.

I opened up a comm. link with Ratchet and hurriedly explained the situation while trying not to sob.

"I'm on my way Chromia, and please try to calm down. You won't help Bumblebee by having a breakdown."

Not a klick after the link was shut, the hated mech we had come to fear appeared out of the smoke as if summoned by Unicron to increase our suffering.

Ironhide was easily swatted aside by Megatron when he tried to stop his approach and Prowl soon followed. He snatched me up by my neck when I tried to prevent him from getting close to Bumblebee.

"You must know where my brother's mate is. Tell me."

"Go frag yourself," I snarled.

"Fine." A predatory grin appeared on his face and I felt his interface cable slither down to my port. "I'll just extract the information myself."

I struggled even harder when I realized what he was trying to do. I landed a kick to his faceplates and he took a startled step back. It was enough for Prowl to take a shot at his chassis. Megatron dropped me and toppled over in shock and I scrambled back to my post beside Bumblebee.

Ratchet and Optimus appeared a few klicks later, but I don't remember much after that…

* * *

"_Chromia?"_

"_Hide?"_

My optics snapped open when the memories of Megatron and Bumblebee came flooding back.

"Bumblebee!?"

"He's right over there."

I followed my mate's direction to where my youngling's still form was laying inside of a CR chamber. The vitals beside it beeped steadily, but I was not going to be satisfied until I was able to see that he was fine myself. I tried to stand up and proceeded to almost fall over. Ironhide scooped me up in one arm and walked over so I could see Bumblebee with my optics.

A great weld stretched over his chest, covering the scalded yellow paint. I put a hand down on the fiberglass chamber as if I could heal him with a touch.

"How bad is it?" I whispered, leaning into my mate's chest.

"His growth will be stunted and he'll age slower than the rest of his peers."

"Is that going to affect his processor?"

"Ratchet says it shouldn't, but it means that he'll be a youngling a lot longer than he should. He's going to have the mind of an adult, but it will conflict with his younger personality."

Ironhide sighed and held me closer with his arm. Only then did I realize that his other one hung uselessly from his shoulder.

"Hide, you're still hurt!"

"Bah! It's nothing. Besides, you're injured from both the accident and the battle. That bastard nearly violated you!" he growled.

"I would have let him if it meant that he wouldn't harm Bumblebee," I murmured, stroking his faceplates. He leaned into the touch, apology in his every movement.

"You shouldn't have been put in that situation. I should have protected you, and Bumblebee, better."

"It's not your fault. Bumblebee is a legal adult now and I should have stayed in the Med Bay."

At the mention of the bay, Ironhide tightened his grip on me. I froze as the image of Firestar's mother flashed in my mind. I hadn't realized until now that we were in a different bay.

"Ironhide, what happened to the other med bay?"

"It's gone, along with the entire left side of the medical wing."

I began to cry. Ironhide's surprise shamed me into curling up into a tight ball to hide my tears.

-

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**Elita's POV**

It broke my spark to see Optimus so upset over Bumblebee getting hurt as bad as he had. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were also distressed and constantly slipping into the Med Bay to check on him. Ratchet had already given up on trying to get everyone out of the Bay.

I softly punched in the code to our quarters and tread softly across the floor. A pair of arms encircled me from behind and I let out a surprised yelp.

"I love you."

"Oh, Optimus," I murmured sadly. Caressing his face I turned around and leaned into him.

I was surprised by how tightly he was clinging to me, as if I was going to be snatched away at any moment. It was a few klicks before I realized that we had sunk to the floor and Optimus was resting his enormous frame on my much smaller shoulder.

"Optimus, what on Cybertron is the matter?"

"He was trying to hurt you. He was trying to hurt me through you."

"Who was?" I already knew the answer, but I was determined to find out exactly what was bothering my mate.

"Megatron; he sent Barricade to take out Sunstreaker to draw you out, but mistook Bumblebee for him. It's my fault that he got hurt, I should have known. I should have-"

"Optimus, that's enough! There wasn't anything you could have done."

He leaned back to rest on his knees, looked me straight in the optics, and told me a terrifying thing.

"There was. I knew he was going to come after them. I knew he was going to come after you. But I didn't think he was capable of doing so. Then he taunts me when my defenses are down and it makes me realize how dangerous it is for you to be my mate."

"Optimus, I'm your mate because I wanted to be. Don't even suggest what I think you're about to. I will not be separated from you just because your psychopath brother is threatening me. I'll kick his pathetic aft clear to Vector Sigma if he tries" I declared, holding his head in my hands so he would look at me.

Optimus sighed and rested his forehead against mine.

"That is precisely why it is so dangerous for you to love me Elita. You are my equal in every way and Megatron knows that."

I leaned forward and kissed him. His optics widened in surprise but he eagerly returned the kiss.

"I'm Elita One my love, not some petty femme in distress."

Optimus trailed kissed down to my neck and nibbled at my shoulder juncture.

"I know."

His kisses found their way to my abdominal plating where he spent a moment nuzzling me before picking me up. I giggled when he growled playfully while I stroked his chest. Optimus pressed me against the wall of our bedroom and began his kisses again with a more fevered attempt.

I felt his hands at my interface panel, but I wasn't about to let him do as he pleased. Yet.

"Not yet," I whispered, slipping out of his grasp and dashing down the hallway. I laughed when he chased me, never able to catch my slimmer form. I was so caught up in it that I didn't notice the chair or hear Optimus shout until I had tumbled over and landed on the floor.

"Elita, are you alright!?" Optimus asked while scooping me up. I smiled and kissed him.

"Why yes I am, my handsome Prime. Would you care to escort this lowly femme back home?"

"Of course m'lady. I can't leave my precious femme commander alone."

This time, I let him pin me to the berth and I also let him connect his interface cable to my port. As I arched up in pleasure, I also contorted from the worry in the memories transferred from him. Optimus groaned when I let my love for him float across the bond. They took the form of memories of me doing subconscious things around him.

How I always gravitated my movements towards him. How I still checked to see if I looked nice enough for him to see me. How I always curl up beside him when we watched old programs together on the projector, which was a rare event, and when we were in recharge and I would press myself into his chest and he would unconsciously wrap his arms around me. And how I always, _always_ appeared when he needed me.

I didn't even notice when my chest plates slid open and my spark called to Optimus's. He looked a little surprised but obliged and mirrored the action. He gently pressed his spark to mine and tendrils of electricity raced up and down my body and I writhed in pleasure from it. Optimus pressed against me and groaned even louder when our sparks sent out another burst of electricity.

How I always fell into recharge, still entangled in his arms after bonding.

* * *

The next morning, Optimus had already left when I came out of recharge. I was sad for a moment, until I noticed the holo-cube lying beside me on the berth. I pressed the button on the side and an image popped up along with an audio message from him.

"_My darling Elita, I wish I could have lain there forever, but I am Prime as you said and duty calls. I figured you could use the recharge and told your regiment that you were going to be berthridden for the orn from a system upset. Before you get angry or protest that you'll get too bored I'll let you know that I don't have to work all day and will be back later to keep you company. And remember…_

_I love you."_

With the image of him leaning over me and giving me a kiss before he left hovering in my processor, I rolled over and went back into recharge.

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**Wow. That was a really long chapter for me. I hope it makes up for the delay. I am soooooo sorry that I haven't been able to update. I travel all winter break and am rarely in the presence of a computer, let alone internet access. **

**PLEASE REVIEW! Please? :)**


	6. Different, Yet Alike

**Encounters of the Spark: Chapter 6**

More than halfway there but an unimportant chapter so just to warn you, it'll probably be funny, but filler stuff.

**And just a side note if you're interested**: following the 9 million year timeline of the original Transformers TV series the war had been going on for exactly 108,433 vorns when Optimus and his team leave in search of the allspark. 83 years = 1 vorn so 9,000,000/83= 108,433 

Simple, right? NOT. I actually have to go back in my other stories and alter the times, so if they don't make sense, that's why.

Ironhide: "Shaddup and tell the damn story already!"

**Different, Yet Alike**

**TimeLine: Vorn 20,000 of the Second Great War**

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**Prowl's POV**

These past few orns, I have been doing nothing. It was so uncharacteristic of me to be doing just that.

_Nothing._

Optimus had given me an indefinite leave while I regained my composure. From what you ask? Oh, nothing. Just the fact that the only kin I have left has joined the opposing side of the war and not to mention that it's my baby brother with a berserker's desire to kill me. His most recent words still echoed in my processor.

"I_.!"_

I could tell not only from the words, but from the pure antagonistic emotion coming out of his voice processor. Barricade did indeed hate me. Surprisingly, I was not devastated from this. It was like I had always known that he had hated me.

"_You abandoned me!"_

There it was again. The one thing that was always hovering in my subconscious, ready to tear down my walls of self-confidence. I had abandoned my brother when he had been just a child. And I didn't lose recharge from it most orns. Wasn't I horrible?

"Stop beating yourself up Prowl. It's not your fault the kid defected."

I looked up to see Jazz standing in the doorway, his arms crossed in a position that dared me to disagree. I was still cautious of him; he was one of the newer defects. He had only been an Autobot for as long as the twins had been here.

"Why should I listen to a former decepticon?"

"Because I know how easy it is to join their ranks. Most of the mechs fighting could give less of a slag about Megatron. They wanted a chance to fight their own fights without the risk of being apprehended. They're looking for an instinctive wildness that they just can't get here."

I turned away from him, trying to ignore the truth of his words.

"Fine. I'm going to get some of the contraband high grade. Stay here and brood you tight-aft."

"Shut up."

"That's another thing about the Decepticons. Their commanders are such loose cannons that I could have killed Megatron and they wouldn't have done a damn thing about it. And that was exactly why I left."

The doors shut and I went back to brooding in my chair. I heard a small giggle outside my door and sighed. It had to be that little mech named Inferno running around. I opened the door to see exactly that and an unfamiliar red and yellow femme beside him.

"Did Jazz send you? What are you doing away from your guardians?" I demanded, but they just laughed at my serious expression.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Can you do the funny fritz thing again? Sunny and Sides said that if we annoy you enough you'll short out" the femme mischievously asked.

"No, I cannot. Inferno, take your friend here back to her guardians before I call Red Alert down here."

"Awwww, you're no fun anymore Prowl" he whined, taking the hand of the smaller femme and treading solemnly down the hallway. A brief image of Barricade flashed in my mind, the same disappointment burning in his optics.

I ran down the length of the corridor and scooped the younglings up with a yell. They squealed in delight when I tossed them into the air once before sprinting down the next hallway. No one even paid attention as I flew by; I was going too fast for their optics to catch me.

"So, where does your femme friend live Inferno?"

"_Firestar_, lives with Arcee and her mother in the femme quarters" he indignantly replied, annoyed that I had never asked her name.

"Alright, alright I'll drop you off first and find them."

Their faces nearly made me laugh. They enlarged their blue optics until they were impossibly big and innocent looking in order to convince me that I was terribly misinformed.

"Please don't make us stop playing Prowl! Pleaaaaaaase?"

Weaker mechs would have fallen prey to their tactics, but I was the tactician and second in command to Optimus Prime. I was immune to every trick in the book.

"Sorry kiddos, but I can't do that."

"That is completely in violation of my rights. I demand a lawyer!" Firestar piped up for the first time, making her femme status well known.

"Yeah, what she said!" Inferno whined.

I ignored their glitching and strode into the Rec room where I was sure to find someone who could take them. I was met with a tirade of comments; some snide and some playful and even more that were pity filled.

"Well, look who finally crawled out of his hole. Stopped your crying and come to join the big boys huh?"

"It's about time Prowl. I thought we were gonna have Ironhide for a tactician. I don't know about you, but running around blowing random shit up doesn't appeal to me."

"Shut up you slaggards or I'll blow your shit up, dumbafts!" said mech roared from across the room. I looked around cautiously, surely the femmes weren't around if they were talking like that?

"That's right Hide; you tell him his what for! Then I'll kick his aft too!"

I stand corrected. I should have known better to count a drunken Chromia as a femme. I let it slide, knowing that it was a front to hide their worry for Bumblebee. Maybe this wasn't the best place to be bringing two younglings. It was at that moment that two decided to appear out of nowhere and give me terrifying death glares.

"Oh, hello Visalia, Arcee, how are you ladies doing today?"

They silently held their arms out and I deposited the younglings into each pair. They stalked out without another sound and I inwardly sighed. I was in deep slag now.

"Hello Prowl, I hope you're doing better."

I turned to see my commander and his mate staring at me with matching concerned looks. Elita gave me a hug before I could protest her doing so.

"I am fine now. Barricade no longer concerns me."

The numbness of before was creeping back into my voice. My emotionless mask was slipping back into place.

"Are you sure that is how you should react to that?" Optimus asked, worry lacing his deep baritone.

"Why should I react any different? He is a traitor and no longer of any relation to me. I have no brother."

"You and your brother are more alike than you realize. Are you not also a traitor for disinheriting him? A traitor to your creators?"

With that, Optimus led Elita away and I was left to brood on my own again.

-

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**Barricade's POV**

"YOU FOOL!" Megatron roared, throwing me across the room. I landed with a sickening crunch against the wall and slid down to rest in a slump.

"We could have had her if you hadn't shot the wrong mech! What use is a brainless lump like you? I should have shot you when I had the chance!"

I cringed at my lord's words. My urge to please was preventing me from retorting back like I had done with my brother. I got on my knees and bowed in apology.

"Forgive me Lord Megatron, it will not happen again" I whispered. Silence passed as I felt the titanic mech slowly approach me from across the room.

"Get. Out."

I scrambled to obey him and fled down the hallway to my barrack. The mechs I bunked with gave me concerned looks as I lay down. They were all several millennia older than me and looked after me with a sort of responsibility that painfully reminded of Prowl.

"Are you alright Barricade?" asked Grindor.

"Leave me well enough alone!" I growled turning towards the wall. They backed away and left to attend to their duties. Memories of how my brother used to tolerate me flooded my processor.

"_Go away!" I screamed, slamming my door shut in my brother's face. I heard him sit down in the hallway, ready to wait as long as necessary for me to come out and talk._

_Another instance from when I was small and the other younglings used to tease me about my small size flashed in my mind._

"_Barricade, why do you cry?"_

"_The others were teasing me! They said I was a runt that would never be able to play with them!"_

_Prowl picked me up and gave my helm a rub with his forehead. _

"_Well, why don't you tell them that your older brother is going to be in the Elite guard and that he could always tell Optimus Prime on them?"_

"_Really?! Wow, I bet that would really scare them!"_

_His brother chuckled at him and proceeded to play an entire round of energon ball with him._

He realized now that his brother had just been acting. The very next orn, he left for the headquarters of Praxus to start his service and was rarely home the next 300 vorns. Back then, I had been too naïve to notice. The depression was starting to overwhelm me, so I decided to go to the bar and drink.

I walked along the streets of Kaon, ignoring the horrors that happened on the streets. Vicious fights, murder and even rape occurred where everyone could see, but no one paid them any mind. Gladiators gave me poisonous glares when I passed, scorning my insignia and questioning my honor. I paid little attention to them.

"Let go of me you sorry sack of slag! I'll rip your interface cable clean off!"

The bold statement drew my attention to a femme only a few vorns younger than myself. Not that being 2400 vorns old made any difference. I was still treated like a misbehaved child.

The femme shouted again and I paused to take a second look. She was a beautiful shade of glossy black and taller than most femmes but still a head shorter than me. A solid blow from the offending mech knocked her unconscious and he moved in for the kill. Before I realized what I was doing, I had sliced his arm clean off.

The mech howled in pain and blindly swung at me, letting go of the femme in the process. I quickly caught her before she could hit the ground.

"Arrrgh! You little pest, I saw her first!"

"Take one more step and I'll slice off your other arm and your head before you can even blink" I hissed, shifting the still form of the femme so I could go through with my threat.

I figured he wasn't going to listen to me, so I impaled him anyway. Energon splattered onto the street and the mech toppled over. I looked up and the small crowd that had gathered around me took a step back and some of the more respectful mechs pushed a few of the femmes back. I put my other arm under the femme's legs and shifted her so that her delicate head rested on my chest.

Without looking at the crowd, I shoved my way through and made my way to the bar I was headed to.

"Hey Barricade- Holy Pit what is that?!" yelped Stixer, the bouncer and owner of the bar.

"It's a femme you dolt, and as you can see, I need to use your back room. She's badly hurt."

Stixer nodded and ushered me into the throng of frames inside the _Energon._ Several mechs parted to get out of our way and they moved even faster when I snarled at them. Megatron might have a low opinion of me, but it was refreshing to see that I still had people who feared my capabilities.

The back room was tremendously quieter than the main room and I welcomed the silence. I laid the femme down on a couch and grabbed an ancient treatment kit from a rickety shelf. There was a slight gash on her forehead where the mech's knuckles had clipped her and a slight protrusion where energon had pooled under her cheekplate. What I was really concerned about was the damage to her processor.

I took a cloth to wipe away the energon and as soon as I touched the gash, the femme leapt up and socked me in the face.

"GET AWAY I TOLD YO- oh" she screamed, but stopped short when she saw that I was not the mech that had assaulted her. She got to her feet and curiously looked around and then she looked down at me.

"Did you bring me here?"

"Yeah" I growled, rubbing my sore jaw. Getting to my feet, I explained in further detail on how she had ended up in this particular place.

"Thank you" she murmured when I was done. "Sorry I punched you, but it was your fault really."

"My fault?! I saved your life you thankless tramp!" I snapped.

"I may be many things, but _tramp _doesn't fit any of my job descriptions!" she snapped right back.

We stood for several klicks, sizing one another up before relaxing and muttering apologies to one another.

"So, you're an Autobot defect right?" she asked, a look of slight disgust and envy? Clear on her face.

"Yeah, my brother… died in the attack on Praxus when I was 800. I lived with a caretaker until I was 1100 and then ran away when they denied me a mentor" I quickly lied, trying not to betray why I really left.

"Nice try, but I can read you like an open book. Your brother is Prowl, former commander of the Praxian Elite Guard and currently Optimus Primes SIC and tactician" she snorted and gave me a scrutinizing look.

"Is it really that obvious?" I asked.

"You look just like him, except for your body structure. He's slimmer and taller than you and his faceplates are softer."

"How do you know so much about my brother?" I demanded. She gave me a wry smile.

"I was once an Autobot too; but only on my father's side. My mother had been a decepticon sniper. I was sent to live with her when my father died. Your brother protested it greatly and I am sorry that he failed to prevent it, but have no regret for the deaths I've caused."

"Well, you know my brother's name and I'm assuming you know mine. So why don't you introduce yourself?" I asked, wanting to get off the subject of Prowl.

"My name is Flamewar. Flamewar Atlantica, daughter of Sitar of Kolkular and Jarvis of Iacon. And no, I do not know your name smartaft."

"Glitch" I muttered before answering her. "I am Barricade son of Barium and Nydia. My rank is sergeant and my function is saboteur and sharpshooter in the decepticon army."

Flamewar looked highly unimpressed with me after hearing my introduction.

"I have no respect for cowards who kill in an unfair fight."

This femme was really starting to piss me off. Just who did she think she was?

"-but I admire that you were willing to help me. Very few would have stopped that mech or even given me a glance."

"You interested me. I hear very few femmes with spirit like that around here" I answered, surprised by her praise.

"You're alright Barricade. So alright in fact, that I'll buy you a drink."

"I believe that is my job as the mech."

"Fine, but I'll let you know that I can hold my high grade."

That was another thing about Flamewar: she never lied. Maybe we weren't so different.

-

-

-

**Optimus's POV**

It was getting more difficult to be a Prime every day that I was in command. This war had escalated far beyond what it was supposed to have been.

"Optimus, please come to bed" my bonded begged over my comm. link.

"In a few breems Elita, I promise" I lied. I wouldn't be able to go recharge until I had sorted out the paperwork.

"Alright, but if you're lying again I'll come get you myself and have Ratchet declare you medically unfit for duty" Elita threatened in her best commander voice.

I could hear a slight wheeze in her voice as she talked, as if her intakes were clogged. She wasn't sick was she? A nasty virus had been going around in the close quarters lately.

"Please go back to recharge Elita, I swear I'll be there in a klick."

"Alright, I love you" she whispered, already drifting off.

"I love you more."

"_I _love you more, Optimus Sentinel Prime."

The comm. link ended then, fizzing out when her recharge program kicked in. I quickly organized my work and shoved it aside. I was too worried about Elita to concern myself with that right now.

I hurried down the crisscrossing hallways to our quarters. When I opened the door, the lights were all off and the apartments were silent. I crept into our bedroom and cautiously checked on Elita. She was tightly curled around herself and looked very uncomfortable. I put a hand on her forehead and nearly recoiled when I felt how burning hot it was.

Elita leaned into my touch and I sat down next to her and put her head in my lap. The pitiful whine of her coolant fans made my spark ache. She opened her pale blue eyes a moment later and looked up at me.

"I told you I was fine you lugnut, now go to bed."

"Elita, you're very sick. You are dangerously overheated and your intakes are clogged" I protested, knowing very well how serious a virus could be.

Elita's head lolled and she giggled. Something was seriously wrong and I knew it so I picked her up and headed down to the Med Bay.

"Where're we going Optimus? You're moving so fast!"

"Don't worry, you're going to be fine Elita, I promise."

"Why would I worry? I feel great!" she slurred out. Then she clutched her abdomen and moaned in pain. I stopped short and gave her a concerned look.

"My tanks hurt Optimus! They hurt so bad…" she wailed. I sped up, hailing Ratchet over the comm. link so he would be ready when I got there.

The doors were already open when I arrived and Ratchet was waiting, an uncharacteristic look of concern on his face. I heard Elita groan again and before I could do anything, she purged her tanks.

"Sorry Optimus, I'm sorry!" she cried, tears of embarrassment rolling down her face.

"Shhh, my love, its fine. If it makes you feel better, do it."

"Optimus is right Elita, try to get it all out of your system" Ratchet encouraged, prepping a berth for her.

Elita didn't purge again, but she did start to cough. Coughing was a rare and serious thing among cybertronians. It often meant serious infection or severely blocked air vents.

She clung to me when I set her down on the berth, but I gently put her hands on her abdomen and stepped back so Ratchet could work. He hooked so many wires and tubes up to Elita that I had to turn away or risk purging myself.

"Yep, it's a virus and a nasty one at that. It must be a mutation of the one that has been going around, but when was she somewhere where she could have caught it?"

He looked at me expectantly and I shrugged. She could have gotten it anywhere.

"Viruses spread three ways: interfacing, energon and sometimes wounds if it's advanced enough. Has she been doing any of those things with an infected person?"

I instantly ruled out interfacing and wounds. I wasn't sick and there hadn't been any battles or fights lately, but Chromia and Sunstreaker had both been ill recently and it was possible that Elita had touched their energon. I looked over at her and saw her visibly relax as the anti-virus program uploaded into her frame.

"Is she going to be alright?"

"Other than being tired and achy for a couple of orns, she should be fine, but make sure she rests. If she doesn't recharge it'll just make it worse."

Obviously Ratchet wasn't bonded to Elita One. Did he realize how hard it was to get her to recharge most of the time? Unless she felt like it, Elita did not do it.

"Don't give me that look either. You're Prime for frag's sake, pull rank every once in a while. And since I'm CMO and outrank both of you concerning medical procedures, I order you to order her to recharge."

For the next three orns, I didn't get any work done on account of her trying to get out of recharging any way possible and her constant protesting that she was fine.

And Prowl still scolded me for shirking my responsibilities.

-

-

-

**Bwahahaha! I love tormenting Optimus and **


	7. A Strong Spark, but a Weakened Spirit

_**Encounters of the Spark: Chapter 7**_

__-indicates a time skip

Warning: Blood and gore

A/N: Sorry for the long wait!

A Strong Spark, but a Weakened Spirit

**Timeline: Vorn 20,000 of the Second Great War- 40, 204 vorns before the battle of Tyger Pax**

-

-

-

**Ironhide's POV**

Bumblebee was adapting. Slowly, but surely, he was getting used to being in a youngling's body longer than he should be. Chromia constantly fretted over him, like she had when he had been very tiny.

"Mia, let the boy intake for Primus's sake! He's going to a mission briefing, not to Kaon" I protested, impatient as she looked Bumblebee over for the fourth time.

"You be quiet Ironhide, you're thinking the same thing!"

"I am not. He's going to a mission _briefing._ Not an actual mission!"

Bumblebee laughed at us and rushed out the door before Chromia could catch him again.

"Be safe!" she hollered after him. I chuckled and held her close.

"Bee can take care of himself Mia, I know he can and you know it too."

"I know," she whispered. "But a mother can't help but worry when her youngling has been injured."

"And I can't help it when you look so lost, I just have to hold you closer so you can find your way to my recharge berth," I joked, hoisting her into my arms. Chromia playfully slapped me and nimbly jumped out of my arms.

"Sorry my horny mech, but I have new recruits to usher in."

And then she was gone. I growled and headed towards the command center, Prime was bound to have beaten himself up over something already.

As I rounded the corner I could hear a heated argument and the unmistakable whine of a weapon being charged.

"What did you just say to her?!" It was unmistakably Sideswipe's voice.

I peeked around the corner to see him standing protectively over an unfamiliar green femme no older than himself.

"I didn't say anything you should be concerned over, Sidefreak" the other mech sneered.

"You better apologize before my brother gets here. He might not spare your miserable life."

The other mech let out a hiss that challenged the young mech. The green femme put a calming hand on the twin's arm and surprisingly, he backed off, muttering threats and making promises.

Not a klick later, Sunstreaker came running, his immediate focus on the femme. With a rare tenderness, he put an arm around her shoulders and escorted her away from the offending mech without a second glance at him.

"Moonracer, you shouldn't let that afthead bully you like that. You don't deserve to be treated that way."

They disappeared into a shadow further down the hallway and Sideswipe watched suspiciously around for any other witnesses. Satisfied, he disappeared as well. I could only stare in wonder.

Never having siblings myself, I could only observe how far these brothers were willing to go for one another. So far as to be threatened with brig time for attacking a fellow soldier. Killing for the sake of your brother; it blew my processor.

I walked further down the hallway, wisely staying out of the twin's business. I walked past Bumblebee talking feverently with another mech. I kept walking, assuming that it was a pre-briefing conversation.

"Father, wait up!"

I turned to look at him with the utmost concentration. Bumblebee only called me father when he was serious about something.

"Yes?"

"Is mother alright? She seemed off this morning, like something had happened to deeply upset her."

My spark clenched. Was there something I had missed this morning? Was Bumblebee more aware of his mother than I had been?

"I don't know. Why are ya askin'?"

"I can't find her anywhere. I was alerted by the new recruits, she never showed up for their introduction" his voice remained calm, but his optics were wide with fright and panic.

"Calm down boy, I'll go look, but when your mother doesn't want to be found, most are hard pressed to find her."

"Don't give me that. You could always hone in on her spark if you wanted to," he teased. But I knew Bumblebee was just trying to hide his fear.

"My son, calm yourself. If something was wrong, I would have sensed it and nothing has happened to make me think so."

"Yes father, of course."

"Jeez, lighten up. You sound like that tight-aft Prowl," I playfully scolded him.

Bee gave me a slight smile before I rushed off in search of Chromia. I saw that several femmes were missing from their usual posts as well, including Elita. I saw Optimus pacing outside of the med bay, a worried look on his face.

"Is something wrong Optimus?"

The younger mech looked up at me with an incredibly sad look in his optics. Something in my spark twinged with remorse. The taller mech motioned for me to step into his office.

"Is Elita alright? Is someone hurt?" I asked, my mind wandering off towards Chromia.

"Elita was pregnant."

It came out of my commander's mouth as a whisper, barely a spoken phrase.

"I'm sorry Optimus," I murmured, unable to comprehend what he was going through. I couldn't imagine life without my Bumblebee.

"He didn't even make it through the first cycle. He was so tiny; barely a flicker, but I already loved him. I just…" Optimus broke off and put his face in his hands.

I immediately went to his side to comfort him like I had done when he was small. Now it was a little difficult because he was a good fifteen feet taller than me. I was just about to call for Ratchet when Optimus's comm. link binged.

"Optimus, this is Ratchet. Elita is going to be fine. She should be conscious in a few breems. And… I'm sorry."

Optimus nearly barreled through the door in his haste to get out. I followed closely behind, wanting to ask my mate why she had kept this from me.

"Elita!" Optimus cried when he saw her lying on a berth, all sorts of tubes and wires hooked into her and an energon transfer hooked into her arm.

He practically trampled the other femmes in the room, but he was impossibly gentle with his sparkmate. Chromia picked her way over to me and dragged me out of the room.

"Chromia -!" she slapped a silver hand over my mouth and tugged my audio closer.

"Have you no sense?! They just lost a spark 'Hide!" Chromia snarled.

I tried to pull her out of the main hallway, mechs and femmes alike were staring at us and I really didn't want to cause a scene out of respect for Optimus and his loss. My sparkmate ground her feet into the metal floor and glared at me with her cerulean eyes.

"Ironhide, you are going to listen _right here_ and _right now_ or so help me I will never interface with you again!"

This was embarrassing! I was supposed to be the weapons specialist, the badaft old man, the worst nightmare of the newbies and here I was being lectured by a femme.

"Chromia, _please, _not in public. You can growl at me at me all you want in our quarters," I begged, because the other mechs had started laughing at us.

She was quiet for a moment and then she stalked off towards our quarters with a haughty tilt to her nose. Wow, that was pretty hot.

"Well, Mr. Afthead, are you coming?"

"Yes, ma'am," I sighed and trudged after her. It was going to be a _long_ night.

-

-

-

**Bumblebee's POV**

I shoved my way into the front of the meeting room and stood with my arms crossed as Jazz told us the gist of our mission. Drop into the Decepticon headquarters, plant the bombs, and get out. Simple really, I mean, that's why being a mini-bot was a requirement for the Special Ops right? This would be a piece of cake.

"Alright, now everyone get out. Go drink some energon and save me my cube of high grade!" Jazz shouted, earning a few laughs.

I turned to go, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"Hey Bumblebee, don't let those others tell you what you can't do."

"I never do, sir."

"Ack, don't start with that slag. Call me Jazz; I've known you since you were tiny and annoying."

"Hey!"

"You are definitely your father's son," he chuckled, walking out of the room. When I followed him out, I ran into Sunstreaker and his brother.

"Oh, sorry Sunny I-"

"Shove it 'Bee. It's none-"Sideswipe stopped in his rather rude tirade and looked at me again.

"Wait. You're Special Ops right? That means you must know every entrance into this base inside and out."

"That's classified," I hissed at the older mechs. Sunstreaker growled and gently brought forward a green femme.

"Yeah, well she's above classified."

I took in the femme's soft, but _expensive,_ green paint and her fine chrome accents. She was obviously from a very, _very_ wealthy family.

"Are you out of your mind Sunny?! You know it's against the rules to bring upper class here!" I exclaimed.

"Which is exactly why she is not your concern, and why you will tell no one you saw, spoke or heard us in here?" Sideswipe growled, as if he was daring me to answer no. I sighed and pointed down the hall.

"Second air vent on the left."

"Thanks 'Bee!"

That was the first and last time I saw that femme on base.

**Timeline: Vorn 40,000 of the Second Great War- 20,240 vorns before the battle of Tyger Pax**

**Ironhide**

"GET THOSE WOUNDED OUT OF HERE!" I roared, firing my cannons in a seemingly endless barrage against the 'Cons.

The medics scrambled to lift the others out of the way and onto the waiting transports. Chromia stood next to me, her rifle and blaster shooting at perfectly timed intervals hitting both long and short range targets.

A plasma round screamed past my audio and melted straight into the ground next to Prowl's foot. The fire stopped for a few breems, allowing the smoke from the ground to clear and I saw the tactician tense.

"I know that type of ammo." Was all he said before he had transformed and sped off into Con territory.

"Hide, was it ever supposed to go this far?" Chromia asked beside me, streaks of solvent running down her dust encrusted faceplate. I knew better than to hug her on the battlefield and I simply let her spark wrap itself in mine.

"I don't Mia. I honestly know."

Suddenly, a hail of plasma fire rained down on us from above and I turned to look at my mate. She smiled at me and with a wild cry, she charged forward into the enemy line. I let out a cry of my own and followed her, cannons blazing and fists flying.

I immediately pounced on a landed seeker, making sure to pin his wings to the ground and didn't hesitate to blast through his spark chamber. It was less than an astro-second before I was up again and had taken down another mech. I was just about to finish off another when an eerie silence fell onto the battleground.

Both the decepticon and I stood up to see what the cause was. We stared in horror as we watched Optimus and Megatron engage in what had to be the nastiest fight they had been in so far. Optimus howled in fury at whatever his brother had seemed to yell and hacked off his left arm. The decepticon leader's cry of pain echoed across the silent battle field, but it was nothing compared to what his younger brother screamed next.

"YOU WILL NEVER TOUCH THEM AGAIN. YOU WILL NEVER HARM ANOTHER INNOCENT. YOU WILL _NEVER _WIN ANOTHER FIGHT AGAINST ME, SO HELP ME PRIMUS!"

I looked cautiously over at the deep blue mech beside me staring at my Prime with a deep sense of awe. I noticed that he wasn't much older than the twins.

"Hey kid, what's your name?"

"I am Mirage," he answered with the typical sneer of former upper class mechs.

"Well, _Mirage, _are you interested in changing sides?" I asked, noticing how he didn't raise his gun to shoot me.

"I cannot. My father was a decepticon and he expects it of me."

Oh primus, one of _those._

"Listen kid, are you your father?"

"Of course not."

"Then why do you give a frag what he wants?"

The mech's crimson optics lightened to amber as he thought about it. I nearly laughed at him, but a voice in the back of my mind kept me prepared for a fight.

"I don't know. But the old slaggard can get fragged with the rest of them for all I care."

"Welcome to the Autobots Mirage," I said, sticking out my hand. He hesitated for a moment, and then stuck out his hand to shake it, left fist over his spark.

"Ironhide!" I heard Chromia shriek and I winced. "What have I told you about fraternizing with the enemy?!"

"Don't mind her. That's just my LOVELY SPARKMATE!" I said, trying to keep her from shooting me from where she stood with Elita. I heard the live round whistling through the air and quickly pulled Mirage out of the way before it tore through another mech's chassis.

Mirage and I laughed for a moment and then we heard Optimus let out a wail of absolute agony. I shoved Mirage towards Chromia and she gave me a quick nod before I followed after Elita. Megatron quickly shouted for retreat when he saw how many mechs were coming to the aid of his brother and flew off. The sight wasn't one I had ever wanted to see.

"Dear Primus," I whispered. Optimus was alive and missing both arms, but what was most horrifying was what had obviously set him off. A young female decepticon was impaled straight through her womb chamber where a spark had obviously been from the swell of her abdominal plates. A sparkling lay beside her, dead, and by the same way as his mother.

Elita knelt down to cradle the head of her mate as Ratchet quickly administered emergency treatment to Optimus. Tears ran down her faceplate as she talked with him.

"Shhhh, it's okay. It wasn't your fault."

"I couldn't save him. I should have…"

My spark clenched at their words. Optimus had been taking the burden of the war and the death of his sparkling entirely on his shoulders and now it was showing. Optimus was _tired._ We all were. As he was carried away, Ultra Magnus stepped forward to perform the last rites for the slaughtered family.

"May your sparks fly swiftly to the Matrix, May your processors be clear of dark thoughts and May your spirit be free of fear. Primus blesses you in your final journey."

I turned and walked back to where Chromia was waiting for me and put an arm around her.

"Let's go home."

-

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-

**Chromia**

Bumblebee was waiting for us when we returned and he ran forward to embrace us. He smiled up at me and at this point, I would be glad to hear that he blew something else up or that new wack job Wheeljack did.

"The mission was a success. We took down the Decepticons most important supply route."

"That's mah boy," Ironhide said, rubbing Bee's helm affectionately. He put his other arm around our son's shoulders and we limped down to the Med Bay to get his wounds patched up.

"Um, where should I go?" I turned around to see the mech that Ironhide had picked up on the battlefield.

"Mirage, right? Bumblebee can show you to Prowl's office. If Prowl isn't back yet, he can take you to Red Alert," I said, absolute authority in my voice. Bumblebee rolled his optics at me and I gave him my best maternal glare.

"C'mon, he's not as bad as the rumors," Bee muttered to Mirage. I almost laughed at how nervous the young mech looked.

I turned to smile at my sparkmate and was surprised when he wrapped me up in his arms. Ironhide's pumpbeat was steady and strong as it thrummed against me, but his spark gave an exhausted flutter against mine.

"I'm tired 'Mia. I 'm tired of worrying if I can come home. I'm tired of sending my youngling out into battle and I'm afraid of losing you both."

I simply stroked his back and hummed a soft song. The hallway had cleared out by now and I didn't really care who saw me now.

"It's been awhile since you've sung for me," Ironhide whispered in my audio. "It's kinda hot."

"After, and only _after,_ Ratchet checks you out and gives you a clean bill of health."

"But-"

"But nothin' mister, I don't want energon staining my clean floors just because you're a horny old mech."

"Aw, that hurts Chromia," Ironhide said, a smile on his face as he limped towards the med bay.

"I love you too 'Hide."

"Always, my 'Mia."

-

-

-

Later on that orn, Elita came to visit me in our quarters. I left Ironhide asleep on our berth and led my clearly distraught commander to a chair.

"Elita, sweetspark, what's wrong?"

Elita let out a sob before speaking. I hadn't seen her like this in a _long, long _time and it worried me.

"It's Optimus. I don't know what to do Chromia. He's not l-l-letting me help with the huge burden he bears as Prime and the s-s-sparkling's death still haunts him a-a-and oh, Mia he's so tired and worn out. I d-d- don' know what to do!"

I put my arms around my closest friend and rocked her as she had rocked me countless times before when it was me crying and her doing the comforting.

"Everything's going to be okay Elita. Optimus is just trying to protect you. You and I both know he loves you more than anything in the universe and he'll do anything for you."

"But I'm supposed to protect him too; it's part of being a sparkmate."

"Elita, I've been bonded longer than you, but let me tell you something. I have never seen in all my long life such a pair of sparks that love each other more than you and Optimus. Except for me and 'Hide of course."

Elita gave me a watery smile and I continued on with my spur of the moment speech.

"Ironhide used to make me so mad when we were first bonded! He was possessive, and territorial, he always wanted to know where I was and who I was with. Why was I with them, they were dangerous, that femme is a prostitute, blah blah blah! But you know what, I'm one of the very few people who have seen the tender look in his optics when he used to hold Bumblebee, or how gentle he was with injured rookies and how protective he was of any femme in his squadron.

"Ironhide finally let me help too. He lets me fuss over him when he's hurt, lets me see him cry and comes to me when he needs me. But he still throws up a front sometimes when he knows that what he's hiding will make me hurt or upset. It takes _time,_ Elita."

Elita smiled and sat up a little more.

"He was so funny when we were dating and newly bonded. He used to tiptoe around our apartment when he woke up so he wouldn't wake me. The funny thing was, was that he would sleep with his arms around me as if I would float away or some weird thing and as soon as he got up, I got cold. Now he clings to me still, tighter since the sparkling died, but he could give less of a crap if I wake up or not when he does, that fragger.

"But my Optimus, my dear sweet Optimus, always makes sure we have the flavor of energon I like and that the climate control is set to what I like. Everything always has to be just so for him, otherwise he'll spend half the night fixing it or if it's too cold, making sure he doesn't leave until I wake up even if he's late. Optimus is protective of me to the point of paranoid and always makes sure to kiss me before going into a battle that I'm not in with him."

"See?" I said "It will take time, but like I said, Optimus will do anything for you Elita. The war may have gripped his spirit, but you have his spark and that, my dear commander, is a much greater force."

"Thank you Chromia."

-

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-

**So, this chapter was sooooo, dramatic it almost made me sick. I know it's a big time skip, but believe me, the last three chapters have the good shit.**


	8. Vantage Point

_**Encounters of the Spark: Chapter 8**_

_**Pay attention. Some important crap will be in this chapter! Even though Kup is making an appearance…. He may sidetrack you with his old war stories =]**_

_**Very important: About the Magnificent Six ( the incident involving Megadeath): I have tweaked it and left out some people concerned with it, so please don't kill me for doing that!**_

Vantage Point

**Timeline: Vorn 55,000 of the Great War- 5,204 vorns before the battle of Tyger Pax**

**Prowl**

"NO!"

I sighed; it was going to be another hard day.

"Hot Rod, please, Kup will be here to pick you up soon."

"No, _no, _NO!"

"Rodimus for the last time, you may not get up before you finish your energon."

"NO! DON'T WANT!"

I pinched the bridge of my olfactory sensor and sighed. Why in the _Pit_ had I agreed to watch the sparkling from Unicron?

"That's it. We're going to find your guardian."

I hoisted the orange and yellow mech out of his chair and swung him into my arms while walking out the door. Of course Hot Rod shut up as soon as we left the room. I held him up to look at him with skeptical optics.

"You know, you are the most illogical thing to ever cross my path. Not even Sunstreaker was as bratty as you."

"Not brat, Hot Rod special Kup says so," the sparkling replied, indignant that I suggest such a thing. His pale blue optics seemed to light up at the mention of his beloved guardian and I indulged him by smiling.

"Yeah, you sure are a piece of work Rodimus."

But you're lonely too, that's as plain as day. Hot Rod and another little mech named Blurr were practically miracles. Almost 10,000 vorns ago, younglings and sparklings slowly started to become less and less frequent along with femmes when suddenly, the only femmes around were the ones located on base, the civilian mechs were either in the process of or already signed up and the sparklings disappeared all together.

I realized that I had stopped walking and that a couple of mechs were staring at me with teasing grins.

"Dammit Bluestreak, Mirage, if you've got enough time to stand here gawking at a sparkling then you can take an extra shift tomorrow."

"That's really harsh Prowl, I mean I have places to go, people to see and my other friends are going out and I have to take Blurr to Ratchet later today…"

"I really must protest. My frame isn't designed for extra stress like that."

"Alright. Fine. You can take Blurr with you when you go out, and you, Mirage, can go train with either Hound or Ultra Magnus to toughen you up. If I don't get a report from either of them, I'll let Ironhide work on you."

They both straightened up and scampered away. Hot Rod laughed and waved at them as they ran away.

"Prowl scare, Prowl scare!"

I heard another set of footsteps behind me and I felt Hot Rod perk up.

"Kup! Kup pick up! Up, Up, UP!"

"Alright, alright jeez, cool yer turbos kiddo."

I gladly handed the rambunctious sparkling over and gave Kup a pat on the shoulder.

"You are one brave mech Kup; I don't think I could handle raising such a rowdy sparkling."

"Are you serious Prowl? One, you did a damn good job of raising your brother while he was here. Two, you're great with Hot Rod and you also set Jazz and Mirage on the right track."

"Kup, you flatter me, but that won't get you out of monitor duty next cycle."

"Hey, you little punk, respect your elders! I'm a pit of a lot older than you! This reminds me of the time Alpha Trion and me…"

"While I'm sure your story is truly fascinating, I really have to go, uh, Optimus just comm. linked me."

I tore down the hallway, being rowdier on my way to my office than I had been in a long time. The youngling may enjoy that old bot's stories, but even I had a limit.

**Inferno**

"ARGGGH!"

Everyone in the Rec room immediately fell quite at the scream of agony. My optics roved over the majority of the room, scanning until if found the figure of a femme hunched over and clutching her arm to her chassis.

"Firestar!" I exclaimed, running over to her. She looked pathetically up at me and showed me her arm as if she was a sparkling showing something they thought was a secret.

"Oh, _Slag."_

Cosmic rust covered her arm and her fingers were crumbling as I watched and it continued to climb up her arm. First Aid caught sight of it and immediately went into action.

"EVERYONE OUT, IT'S COSMIC RUST! Go straight to the wash racks, anybody who comes into contact with Hot Rod or Blurr at all needs to be vaccinated immediately after being washed!"

Firestar whimpered when First Aid fearlessly picked her up and sprinted for the Med Bay

"Inferno!" Firestar squealed as they disappeared around the corner. Everyone stared at me in horror for a long breem.

"Well, you heard the mech, GO!" I roared. Everyone quickly filed out and headed for the wash room.

I hurried to follow after First Aid and didn't hesitate to shove anyone who got in my way aside. The med bay doors were locked and I howled as I pounded on them with my laser rifle.

"For frag's sake Inferno, what the Pit are you screaming for?" Elita said as she walked by.

"Firestar's got cosmic rust and Ratchet won't let me in. She _needs _me."

Elita gave me a serious, but slightly amused look.

"Do you have any idea who could have given it to her?"

"No ma'am, but if I ever find the fragger, he's getting a one way trip to the pit for hurting her."

"Very well," Elita answered while swiftly punching in the override code for the door, "Make sure you're vaccinated before coming near the command center."

I thanked her and rushed in to see Fire. She was inside a clear plexi-glass chamber, being sprayed down with the vaccine for her disease.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing in here!" Ratchet yelled, throwing a wrench at me. "You're just as bad as Optimus sometimes."

I was taken aback by his accusation. Optimus only disobeyed Ratchet's orders when his spark-.

"Woah, I'm not her spark mate!"

"He's not my sparkmate!"

Firestar and I protested at the same time. We both looked at each other and blushed.

"Yeah, yeah and I'm the next Prime. Get yer aft over there on a berth and wait like a big mech."

Firestar patiently sat as close as she could to me in the chamber and I kept one hand on the glass so she'd feel more comfortable. Finally, I worked up the bolts to say something.

"So… would you like to go get some energon later or something?"

"I'd like that," Firestar said, smiling at me.

**Jazz**

Bumblebee shifted behind me as my squad prepared to drop into the decepticon headquarters. Sunstreaker's squad could be heard a couple of klicks away, explosions and enraged howls searing the air. A particularly large explosion had my audios ringing, but I knew it was our only chance.

One…Two…Three -"MOVE OUT!" I roared and my bots slipped inside with barely a clink of armor.

I was the last to land in the air duct and we immediately parted ways, each having a specific job here. Mine was the most dangerous, of course. Not only did I not want to endanger my men more than I had too, but what's the harm in having fun?

It was child's play to get out of the vents and into the office without being detected. The computer was completely unguarded and Shockwave was no-.

"Why Jazz, so nice of you to drop in to visit me."

I whirled around to see the yellow eyed Cyclops.

"Well, you know how it is Shockwave, with the war and all I don't really have to time to send a postcard from the blast site of your command center."

I prepared for a fight. There was no way he was going to let me go easily.

"You're so antsy. Are you expecting someone? Maybe Sunstreaker and Sideswipe would like to join us."

I watched as a droid wheeled them in on an upright berth, strapped to it like science experiments. Sideswipe was offline, but Sunstreaker was struggling and growling with barely constrained fury.

"Leave them out of this ya One-Eyed freak. They're just younglings."

"Hmm, that's not what my spy in Kaon tells me. The yellow one is quite famous in the rings. His brother is more of the 'business' type."

Sunstreaker calmed for a moment, almost ashamed when I gave him a surprised look. Shockwave went to grab Sides and Sunstreaker honest to Primus bared his teeth and snarled like a wild mechano-cat.

"Don't you touch him you fragger! I rip your spark out through your audios if you hurt my brother and personally deliver your severed head to Megatron!"

I quickly plotted and escape route and leapt for the trapped brothers. Shockwave stuck out his arm and caught me by my throat and held me in the air.

"Tsk, tsk. My, my Jazz you are getting sloppy. You were much faster than that when Megadeath was around."

Sunstreaker stilled at the name and I turned to look as Shockwave with cold optics. There was only one way he could know about that.

"Thunderwing," I spat.

Many, many vorns ago Prowl; Wheeljack, Stampede and I went against the only Decepticon crueler than Megatron. Optimus wasn't even in power then, under Sentinel, just before he was assassinated, the four of us went on a specially classified mission to kill the crazed mech. Stampede didn't come back and Wheeljack quit the army to join the engineering department.

We banded together again exactly 48,192 vorns ago to go after him again. This time we were accompanied by Sunstreaker and Inferno. I don't think any of us will ever be the same.

"Oh, my apologies, I had forgotten that you and your pathetic squad thought they could take him down. Though I regret to inform you that we have heard rumors that he's still out there you know."

"Put me down or suffer the consequences," I calmly said, all tact and level-headedness put aside. I turned to Sideswipe's 'unconscious' body and locked optics with his dimmed ones. A slight nod and the barest hint of an amused smile answered me.

In less than an astro-second, they had broken free of their restraints and Sunstreaker had sliced off the slaggard's head while Sideswipe simultaneously impaled his spark. They turned to me to await further orders.

"Let's move it! The info isn't here and we need to go!"

"Yes sir!"

I made sure they made it out of the room before following. My left foot had just reached to door when I heard the whine of a charging cannon and felt a searing heat blast through my abdomen.

A great splash of energon hit the wall and I fell to my knees, the hallway spinning. I saw a red and yellow blur hovering over me; a voice was speaking achingly slow.

"Jazz…are…youuuu…okaaaaay?"

Of course I wasn't okay; my circuits were hanging out of my chassis. I felt energon building up in my throat and I let out a hoarse cough and felt it run down my chest as I was hoisted onto someone's back.

And then it was quiet.

I am so sorry it took me so long to update! My boyfriend was hurt in Iraq and I've been spending a lot of time at the hospital. Thank you so much for all your reviews!


	9. She's So High

_**Encounters of the Spark: Chapter Nine**_

_**Whoo! Finally back on track. Only eleven more days and I can kiss high school goodbye! Hopefully I'll be a faster updater over the summer and finally finish EotS.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

_**A/N: the idea for the title comes from an amazing artist by the name PorcelainRequiem on Deviantart**_

She's so High….

_**Vorn: 51,660 of the Great War--8,544 vorns before the Battle of Tyger Pax **_

…**Like Maid Marian----Elita**

I sighed. It was always work, work, and work! If I had to sign _one _more data pad, I might go shoot someone. I felt a twinge of worry pass to my spark from Optimus and I sent him a reassuring one back. A klick later, he comm. linked me.

"Elita, are you alright?"

"I'm tired Optimus. Whoever invented datawork is a dead mech."

"… How about you come meet me for a surprise in a few joors?"

I giggled. "What exactly are you implying Mr. Prime?"

"That you, Ms. Lita, need a break and we are going to take one. I'm sure Prowl can handle them for a few joors."

"Then it's a date."

With that, I hung up on him and smirked to myself. That last data pad looked very inviting now.

I practically flew down the hallway to Optimus's office as soon as the signature was done on the last form. The doors opened for me and I flung myself onto my mate. Optimus laughed that deep baritone chuckle of his and swept me out of the base and towards the center of Iacon.

It was the most normal day since I don't know when. We held hands, we laughed and I dragged Optimus along the storefronts. We had frosted energon and he bought me my favorite flavor of energon goodies.

But alas, of course it could not last.

As soon as I stepped foot back on the base, my audios picked up on approaching Decepticons. I readied my blaster and my blade and stepped forward next to my mate, prepared to defend my home. I grinned a terrible smile when I saw Nightfire. Oh, yes. Time for a rematch with that uptight glitch.

I heard my Optimus give the command and I sprang from my position and swung my small blade up, decapitating a mech right in front of me. I spun, and shot one in her spark. Then, the mother of all unholy femmes appeared in front of me. No, not Nightfire my old nemesis, but Thunderblast. The top ranking Decepticon femme; the femme once considered by Megatron to make his mate.

She hissed at me and I brandished my blade.

"Bring it you overpainted glitch."

I saw talons extend from her fingertips and she rolled on the balls of her feet as she prepared to launch her attack. I aimed my gun and fired. Thunderblast tucked and rolled so fast that I barely blocked her next attack.

"Getting old are we Elita-One?"

"Not as old as you; you decrepit rust-bucket."

She snarled and I growled back. She fired and I blocked. I swung and she parried. It was a never ending circle of attack and counterattack. Finally, Thunderblast raised her arm just high enough to leave a narrow opening and I didn't hesitate to fire at her softer under-plating.

She dropped like a rock and didn't move. I felt a moment of pity for her and then proudly walked away to join my fellow soldiers. Optimus wasn't too badly damaged for once and he put a huge arm around me.

"You are beautiful when you fight."

"Thanks sweetspark, you're sexy too."

"That's my warrior femme."

… **Like Juliet--- Moonracer**

I walked quietly through the back streets of Iacon, enjoying a peaceful morning for once. Today, no sirens blared, no plasma singed the air and the city was smoke-free. Today I could just enjoy my time alone until Sunstreaker came to visit me.

I absently fingered the necklace he had bought me many, many vorns ago as I picked my way through what was left of Iacon's dying art center. More and more bots had been leaving lately as the war escalated and soon, there would be no one but soldiers left. Even I had been moved on base recently, but I still enjoyed my apartment a few streets away.

"Hey beautiful," I heard Sunstreaker say and squealed as two strong, yellow arms picked me up from behind.

"You're just saying that to get on my good side."

"Hey babe, I've been there a long time as you recall."

"Really now? And how is that?"

"Well," he started "Once upon a time, there was princess and she was the daughter of a very snobbish bot. But her helm was a beautiful, soft green and her optics were a gorgeous shade of blue…"

"Arrooooooo! It's getting _hot_ in here!"

And down jumped Jazz and Sideswipe. I saw Sunstreaker about to explode, so I intervened and went to hug the other bots.

"How you doin' darlin'?" Jazz asked with his rural colony accent that added so much character to him.

"I'm great, thanks. And you my dear Sides, how is the smart aft business going?"

"Ooooo, Racer's got an attitude today."

"Because you're an ignorant crankshaft."

"That's no nice to say to your brother Sunny!"

Then they leapt onto each other and I rolled my optics as the brothers rolled around on the ground.

"They never grow up."

Jazz gave me a kind look.

"No they don't. Those two were like that when they only came up ta mah knee joints."

"Speaking of being old and all how's your injury? I know it's ancient, but Sunny said it was bothering you the other day."

"Don't you worry 'bout stuff like that. I'm old. Older than Prowl even; but don't tell him that."

"Thanks for letting me be with Sunstreaker."

Jazz gave me a strange look.

"Why wouldn't I? It's obvious ya love him very much and if he's not talking 'bout himself, he's talking 'bout you."

"For a long time, you helped us see each other in secret. Thanks for letting us do that."

Jazz reached down and put a hand on my shoulder. I had to be the only bot to be shorter than him.

"Moonracer, I'd give anything ta see those two completely happy. Hell, even Ironhide would. They've had a hard life for ones so young. Ya make Sunstreaker happy, so everyone turns a blind optic ta tha fact that you're a noble."

I pondered his words for a few moments. Should I tell him what I was keeping from Sunstreaker?

No, I decided. It could wait.

… **Like Boadicea--- Chromia**

I am a warrior.

But I wasn't always.

When I was young, I had been a spoiled daughter of an upper-class merchant. My mother left my father when I was older and that's when he used to beat me. Because I 'Looked like that wretched glitch!' and I was 'the reason she left', even though she really left because she was pregnant with another mech's spark.

There was a mech, perhaps a hundred or so vorns older than me, who lived next door. I thought he was handsome with his deep red armor and his square jawed faceplate. I used to stare at him every night until he finally propped open his third story window and confronted me.

"_Look femme, if you're gonna keep doin' the freaky stalker gig, at least have tha decency tah talk tah me."_

"_I beg your pardon?"_

"_Dear Primus, don' pull that upper class bullslag with me. Cut tah tha chase, what the frag do you want?"_

"_I'm sorry that I thought you looked nice you, you stupid crankshaft!"_

Just then, my father came into my room and dragged me away by my audios and to the living room and beat me within an inch of my life. The only thing I still remember about that night is how the room spun and the only reason I had been beat was because I was 'too brightly colored and it hurt my father's optics.'

I lay in that room for three orns, unable to move. Finally I was able to crawl back to my room, curl up on my balcony and sob. I sobbed for what must've been the better part of that evening. I heard the creak of a window opening next door and felt a stare. I looked up to see the red mech I liked so much.

"You alrigh'?"

"I'm fine." I snapped.

"No yer not, hold on just a klick and I'll go an' get tha ladder."

I watched in astonishment as he stretched the rickety metal thing across the alley and had the nerve to tell me to climb over.

"Move it or I'll come get you mahself."

"Hmph, like I haven't heard that before."

"Femme, ya need medical attention, and I promise ah won't let ya fall."

"Promise?"

"Cross mah spark and hope to offline."

I tentatively put one mangled hand on a rung and slowly pulled myself onto the shaky bridge. I inched my way over until I was close enough and then the mech put gentle hands around my waist and set me down on his old terrace.

"There, now come on in an' let's get ya fixed up."

For some reason I trusted him and let him lead me by my hand into his modest apartment.

"Mah name's Ironhide by tha way."

"I'm Chromia," I squeaked back. He had a perfect name.

"That's a right pretty name. Mine's just as old and plain as that nasty old faucet over there."

I giggled and Ironhide smiled back at me.

"You should do that more often," he told me.

"What, smile?"

"It makes ya look pr…uh… nicer."

I fell silent and watched intently as his huge fingers gently popped out my dents and welded my cuts. Ironhide had nice hands.

"Ya know you should get out o' that house. It's not right fer your father ta beat ya like that."

"I don't have anywhere to go."

Then Ironhide moved down to a particularly bad dent on my abdomen and I flinched and shoved him away. He stared at my scars all around that area.

"Does he do…improper things to you?"

My optics widened and I didn't answer.

"Answer me!"

"No," I whispered "but he lets his nasty friends do whatever they want with me."

Suddenly I found myself wrapped in Ironhide's massive arms. I hadn't realized that I was crying again and I felt ashamed that I was letting a stranger see my like this.

"It's okay. You can stay wi' me until you find yer own place if ya want."

And that was how I escaped my own living pit. I cleared out my room the next morning and smirked when my father begged on his knees for me to not leave. That he was sorry for what he did. I gladly went with Ironhide's arm around my shoulders.

I adjusted to life with the kind, and kind of gruff, mech that had taken me in when he didn't have much either. I learned that his mother died when he was born and that his father had been a police officer who brought him up as best he could. He had been murdered a short while ago while on the job.

Ironhide taught me how to fix basic things on my frame and how to make my own energon with the small pot in the kitchen. And I taught him how to clean, and make more than just basic flavored energon. I brought with me my odd habit of watching the moons rise and the suns set before going to bed. And I found myself falling deeply in love with this mech.

Ironhide began to grow antsy around me a lot of the time, but he was always so gentle at the same time. He could scare away mechs several times his size, but when I was sick, he had endless patience with me.

After a particularly nasty encounter on the streets, he taught me how to fight.

"_Go on, land tha punch right here," said Ironhide, smacking his right palm._

_I swung and connected with a satisfying loud 'TWACK!' _

_But all I had done was break my finger servos. I laughed at my disfigured hand while Ironhide fussed over it._

"_Hm, maybe yer more of a 'long-range' fighter."_

_I smiled as he handed me a rifle and felt every groove on it. It was like it was speaking to me and I listened. I aimed it and shot dead center into the target, shattering it. Ironhide stared._

"_I love you."_

_I laughed and planted a kiss on his cheek. He picked me up and told me to shoot the other target from his arms. I did._

"_Primus that's hot."_

"_Aw, thanks 'Hide."_

Not long after that, we were bonded and Ironhide went into service under the Prime council. He made friends with a rather stiff, but kind mech named Alpha. His mate Venus was kindly on the outside, but I could sense she was as rotten to the core as Kaon was.

When they were killed, Ironhide painted his armor black and took a child Optimus under his wing. Under Sentinel Prime, a new faction arose among the Cybertronians: Decepticons.

Then, Sentinel was killed by his own half-brother Megatron and the war began in earnest. Ironhide and I became two of the most feared bots on Cybertron. I adapted to being a lower-rank than a femme thousands of vorns younger than me, but when it came down to it, I was in charge on the field.

As Ironhide likes to call me I was a 'soldier that was the stuff of little Decepticons nightmares.'

And I am happy.

… **Like Joan of Arc…**

I have decided that I am an Autobot in disguise. Or rather, I am as of five klicks ago.

That damn Sideswipe changed my mind. He taught me how to care again, how to live again. How to love.

Yes, I love that immature little exhaust pipe. I say little even if he is older than me, that's how weak I've become. I hold the pendant tightly tied around my neck. It's matching; yellow twin hangs from the throat of a weak, aristocratic femme that that fool Sunstreaker fell in love with.

But Sideswipe is smarter than his psychopathic brother. He's craftier and far more willing to play dirty if those he cares about are in danger. And that is why I love him.

And also because he loves me back.

No one in my entire life has ever said they love me. Not my mother, not my father, not even my older sister have ever said those three words to me.

"_I love you."_

Sideswipe loves me.

So I will keep playing decepticon in order to protect him.

I will live up to my name and keep hold of Honor.

**I love this chapter! The femmes deserve some love, especially Honor; we never get to hear from her. Chromia's was the most fun to write though!**

**Thanks for reading and PLEASE REVIEW!**


	10. Voiceless

_**Encounters of the Spark: Chapter 10- Part One**_

_**WHOOOO! The big 1-0! I've been waiting a LONG, LONG time to write this baby.**_

_**This chapter will be split into 2 parts; it's just TOO slagging big to fit in one.**_

_Voiceless_

_**Vorn: 60,204 of the Great War, 3 orns until the battle of Tyger Pax—48,229 vorns before Optimus Prime and crew leave to pursue the Allspark.**_

**Chromia- approximately 60, 207 vorns ago.**

I was a mother now. I had been for almost a deca-cycle and I still couldn't wrap my processor around it. How was I supposed to take care of another being when I could barely remember to eat? That little yellow sparkling was depending on me.

"Chromia, love, what's wrong?" I hear Ironhide ask from the other side of the berth.

"I can't recharge. There are too many thoughts rolling around my processor."

I felt his great black arms wrap around me and nuzzle into my neck. He growls when I blow a kiss at his nose.

"Don't tempt me femme."

"What, you mean this?" I tease, turning over and running my hand down his chest.

"Mia, please?"

I want to, but I knew I had too much on my mind to enjoy bonding right now.

"In the morning, I promise."

"That's what you've been saying since we got Bumblebee. I'm getting a case of brass balls Chromia."

I roared with laughter and Ironhide scowled and rolled over so I was on his chest.

"Aw you know I love you 'Hide."

Ironhide sighed and put his arms around my hips.

"Love you too…I guess."

I smacked him squarely in the nose and he snorted with surprise. We both gave each other an impatient glare, and then I threw my face onto his. I kissed Ironhide so hard; I may have challenged his name. I broke away from him and promptly rolled onto his side of the bed to stare out the window.

A soft coo came from the smaller berth beside ours and I heard Bumblebee click and twitter a moment later. I got up to look into the padded crib and saw his optics crinkle as he smiled at me. I couldn't resist picking him up.

"Who's mama's handsome little mech?" I found myself cooing. Bumblebee flicked his antennae and giggled. Ironhide grumbled and I rounded on him.

"What was that, dear?"

"Hmph, getting usurped by a brat in mah own berth."

I knew he didn't mean it and I set Bee down beside him and watched him wave his little hands at his father and bang on his protoform. Then he buzzed and jabbered when he was ignored.

"Alright, alright you cheeky mech, c'mere."

Ironhide lifted Bumblebee onto his chest and let the tiny mech attempt to crawl on his chest. After a few breems he grew tired and began to doze off again. I smiled when Ironhide stroked his little back and went over to pick him up.

"You know what Mia, why don't you let him sleep with us tonight?"

I nodded and put Bumblebee in-between us and laid down, my body curling around him. Outside I heard the rumbling of ammunition and I held Bee closer when Ironhide got up to look out the window. It was quiet for a few klicks and then Ironhide threw me on the floor and piled on top of me. I heard a high pitched whine and suddenly our window blew out and a wave of heat blasted in.

I quickly geared into action, grabbing a thermal blanket to wrap around my son and running into the living room. Sirens blared outside and a fire was already blazing in our room. Ironhide grabbed the row of holo-cubes off a shelf and dragged me outside. The Autobot base wasn't far and Ironhide had scooped me up since he could run faster. He set me down inside the gates and pushed me towards the tower.

"Go! Elita One should be waiting for you inside."

"But-"

"GO!" he roared and I obeyed. I ran, screaming bloody murder for mechs to get out of my way, and practically flung myself through the doors.

Elita was inside waiting with the other femmes and they quickly pulled me further into the hallway. I was rushed down to the med bay where Ratchet was waiting for me. Bumblebee was wailing at the top of his tiny vocals while he was checked for injuries.

"He's perfectly fine, just frightened. You're okay too, just a few minor dents."

Ironhide came rushing in a few breems later, covered in grime and smoke, but otherwise unharmed. He fussed over us while Ratchet checked him out and swept us out the door as soon as he was done. Bumblebee was still fussing in my arms and giving the occasional whimper.

I rocked the small yellow mech in my arms and cooed at him. He was soon content and his antennae were twitching happily. Voicelessly telling me how he felt.

Safe.

**Bumblebee**

Thank Primus, this orn, was an orn for the Autobots.

We finally, _finally,_ got a chance to tip the scales of our stalemate. A few orns ago we were able to collect Intel from a mission to Shockwave's lab. Two entire legions of Decepticons would be occupied elsewhere so we could do what Optimus has deemed necessary to end the war.

Shoot the Allspark into space.

Only a few would be at Tyger Pax, the rest at another point, Megatron included. It was very iffy at this point, and could very well be a trap, but we're desperate and it's obvious we're going to mount some kind of assault.

"Bee, the boss needs ya!" shouted Jazz from across the room. I looked over to see Optimus and my father waiting for me, their faces deadly serious.

I walked over; praying to Primus that they hadn't found out that it was me that filled the wash -racks with pink paint. I was led into Optimus's private office where I was told to sit down.

"I'm going to tell you right out Bumblebee-"began Optimus, but I cut him off, ready to defend myself.

"I'm sorry about the wash-racks, it was Sunny's idea and Moonracer bullied me and-"Optimus waved his hand and I fell silent, although I could see the amusement in his optics.

"Although that is quite entertaining, that is not what Ironhide and I brought you here to talk about. We need someone to lead a small sabotage squad to Tyger Pax. I want you to disable all their transports and shuttles so the majority of the troops are unable to get off the planet."

"And you want me to lead them?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yes," said Ironhide "You're the best spy, after Jazz, and you've got a good processor on your shoulders. Gets that from his mother, Optimus."

"But what about the _Nemesis?"_

"Jazz will be leading smaller raid on the ship. You are to regroup with them when you're done and help them disable the _Nemesis _at all costs. It is Megatron's leading battle cruiser and it is likely he'll try to board it." Optimus said all of this with an eerily grim voice.

"I accept the mission, sir."

"Good, be ready in three orns."

"Damn Bumblebee, you're one brave son of a glitch to take a suicide like that."

"Shut up Sides. You're just jealous that he got an exciting mission you're not allowed on."

"You shut up Moonie; no one wants to listen to your smart mouth."

I laughed at the bickering in-laws and propped my feet up on the table. They were immediately smacked down by Ratchet.

"Keep your grimy peds off the table punk. Come back with more than a dent and I'll weld your interface panel shut."

I knew he was just nervous. Everyone was, the assault was to be conducted only a few joors from now.

"I promise I'll come back laughing and as shiny as the day I was created."

"My aft, you've never been shiny in your life!" said Inferno from across the room. I swiftly shot him with a stun charge that sent him crashing to the floor.

"That's mah boy!" Ironhide laughed from across the room. Inferno was jerking around, but I wasn't too worried. It only lasted a few breems.

The intercom crackled to life and the Rec room fell deathly silent.

"Attention all Autobot personnel, report to your assigned areas for operation: Launch. I repeat, all Autobot personnel report to your assigned areas for operation: Launch."

Everyone swiftly scrambled out to meet up at their different launch sites. My parents gave me swift hugs before Jazz and the others swept me away. I boarded the special ops shuttle and looked around at my team.

"Cliffjumper, you're going to go after the faster shuttles. You're able to find the gas lines fastest. Mirage, make sure you keep your shield on at all times, no one else but the team even knows you're with us. Smokescreen, you know what to do. Hound, you're with me."

"Yes Sir!"

It felt like an eternity as I measured the miles the closer we got to enemy territory. We were almost to Tyger Pax.

"Team Spec Ops Alpha, get ready to drop in T-minus four breems."

I made sure my specially made black parachute was ready and moved to where the door would open. We were all covered in temporary micro-paint that would adapt our paint to match our surroundings, but that didn't mean they wouldn't hear us land or see our chutes.

"Two breems!"

I looked back at my team and they nodded.

"45 klicks!"

I lightly touched the old chassis scar that was still on my chest. I won't let myself be hurt like that again.

"Go, go, go!"

I leapt and felt my parachute fill with air as I dropped to the ground. I landed with a graceful roll and immediately took off for the waiting enemy hangar. I didn't hear a sound as we went around, snipping fuel lines and rusting engines, and found myself studying the shuttles. They were in much better shape than ours, but they were old.

They must have been from before my parents had been bonded. And we all know how ancient they were. I kicked one and its door disintegrated off its hinges. What use would these be to an army?

"Bumblebee, you need to come see this," whispered Hound, his voice soft with shock. I slowly walked to where they were and gasped.

Lying in a horrible, sticky pool of energon was a female neutral. Spelled out in her glowing blood on the wall were two words: You're done. My audios spun and I picked up the sound of ticking from the body of the femme. Mirage gave a shout of warning.

"Run for it, she's gonna blow!"

As one we transformed and sped out of the compound as fast as we could. A deafening boom echoed across the flat plains just as Hound made it over the fence. He was blown forward and lay still where he landed. Overhead I could hear seekers making their descent on us and I saw Mirage disappear like he was supposed to. I was counting on him to get this Intel to Prime.

"Bee look out!" screamed Cliffjumper.

I turned around just in time to face a female seeker. She had her gun pointed right in my face. Her red optics narrowed at me, but her head gave a slight jerk to the left. I looked and saw that the other two, mechs, were not doing anything.

"Go, and tell Sideswipe that he should do what Honor tells him to."

Then she transformed and flew off. I stared after her astonished, until Smokescreen pulled me forward and I transformed again we headed for the rendezvous point. Cliffjumper was having a hard time hauling Hound and I pulled up beside him to help out.

As we approached the sight of the battle, I couldn't help but stare in repulsion. It was a vicious fight, energon spurting into the air in great blue swaths and limbs being tossed around made me want to purge my breakfast. I laid Hound down on the ground and told Cliffjumper to stick with him.

Smokescreen and I nodded to each other and we both unsheathed our blades and cannons. With a cry, we ran and threw ourselves into the fray. As soon as my feet touched battlefield ground, I was slammed into by two mechs locked in a brutal fistfight. I recognized Sideswipe under all the grime and energon and leapt into the fray to help.

I easily killed the offending mech and helped Sides to his feet. He gave me a nod and went to join his brother who was tearing through mechs like Prowl tears through data pads. Back-to-back, they were beautiful, in their own sadistic way.

Overhead, and equally vicious firefight was going on and I recognized the femme from before. But before I saw where she went, I was tackled from behind by a familiar mech.

"Barricade," I snarled.

"Hello, Bumblebrat."

He pulled out his spiked flail and held it up to my doorwing.

"Now, how would you do if this little piece when missing."

I slammed my forehead into his olfactory sensor and he stumbled back with a shriek. Energon poured from the wound as I jumped to my feet and struck with both my hand clasped together. Barricade hit the ground with a sickening crunch and didn't move. I turned to walk away, but a smaller figure came hurtling out of the smoke and attacked me like a wild mechano- cat.

The femme crawled onto my back and ripped one of my doorwings clean off before I had time to react. She scored her claws down my back before springing off and hauling Barricade's much bigger frame over her shoulders. Then she hissed at me.

"That will be the last time you ever knock him down, brat!"

I crumpled to the ground as she ran away, the pain excruciating as energon covered my back. Someone scooped me up by my neck from behind and held me in the air. The soldiers around me fell still and stared behind me in glee, or horror depending on who they were. I looked down to see my attacker's hand and saw savage metal claws. Oh slag. I was swung around to face Megatron himself.

"Well, well, what do we have here? A little bug to crush under my foot, perhaps?"

"Eat slag you- fragger!" I choked out as he squeezed harder on my throat.

"Hmm, you're that damned Weapons specialist's youngling aren't you? Well, we have to have something special for you.

Megatron lifted me up higher for everyone to see and I saw several of my friends and, with a clench of my spark, my parents struggling to get to me. The hand around me tightened and I hear and sickening wet pop.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to howl at how bad it hurt as Megatron threw me to the ground and took a step over me. I writhed and clawed at my throat, desperately trying to speak, to breathe even, but all I could do was lie helplessly on the ground and watch myself leak to death.

The last thing I saw was my mother's face, her mouth moving and no sound coming out before a curtain fell over my vision.

**Please Review, and I'll try to get part 2 out as fast as I can!**


	11. Scream

_**Encounters of the Spark: Chapter 10- Part 2**_

_Scream_

**Vorn: 60, 204- Four Orns after the Battle of Tyger Pax-**_**48,229 vorns before Optimus Prime and crew leave to pursue the Allspark.**_

I breathed.

For the first time in eons, I took an intake. And I have awakened to a civil war between my children. I saw thousands of images throughout me.

A young femme crying over the body of her mother.

An immense mech cowering in fear from a much smaller one, simply because he held a more powerful gun.

And a small, yellow youngling getting his throat crushed by a red-eyed mech. The eyes of my brother's disciples.

Unicron's first influent, The Fallen, must still be alive somewhere. I groaned and saw a burnt city shift from my efforts. I stopped my efforts and sat still.

Then, an image of a mighty blue and red mech reached my processor.

A Prime.

I excitedly reached out to one of my direct descendents. He grabbed the sides of his head and fell to his knees. I reigned in my emotions when a pink femme knelt by him in concern.

'_Aaagh, who are you?'_

'Peace child. I mean no harm.'

'_You must be old, and wise, to be calling me young. But you still have not answered my question.'_

I chuckled at his spunk. 'Optimus, you are the last of my descendents worthy of the name Prime. I shall tell you one thing. I will come to your aide, though it may take me many vorns before I can stir.'

'…_Primus?'_

'Yes…that was once my name. Unicron has touched the mech you call brother.'

'_Why should it take you so long to stir? Are you away from Cybertron?'_

'My young Prime, I am Cybertron.'

And I weep for you.

**Ratchet**

It had been four orns. Four orns of countless warriors pouring in to be treated, four orns of wounded mechs crying for their creators and now I wanted to cry too.

My arms were gloved in a mix of gore and cleaning fluid, my paint had begun peeling away on my gauntlets. I could barely stay awake, and yet, I did not want to cry for myself.

No, there may have been a mech howling about a missing limb, or a doorwing. There could be a femme impaled through her shoulder, or missing half her helm but I felt no such sorrow as I did for Bumblebee.

The young mech lay on a berth, his face hidden by the tubes and welds across his neck. Hell, I didn't even know if he was going to be able to live without them. But in my spark, I knew that when- if- he woke up his voice would be gone. There was nothing left to repair, nothing to attach a replacement to.

"_Ratch, look I fixed him all by myself!"_

"_Yes, I see. Good job, now go show your Uncle Wheeljack so I can get some slaggin' work done!"_

"'_Kay Ratch, I'll see you later!"_

"_There's a good mech."_

No, I told myself, that little yellow mech would talk again. Even if I had to go through Pit to make it happen.

**Ironhide**

The silence of the base rang in my audios. I kept expecting Bumblebee or Chromia to come barging through the doors, going on about something new, but the doors stayed shut. Chromia lay next to me, her face scrunched in pain as she clutched at her chest. I pulled her into my lap and stroked her audios as she sobbed into my chassis.

"It hurts 'Hide. It hurts, IT HURTS!"

"Shh, I know 'Mia, I know." I felt the same ache in mine, but I knew hers would hurt more because she was a femme. Because she had a bond with Bumblebee that I would never have.

Right now, I would have given anything to know what was going on with him from so far away. Ratchet's words echoed in my head.

"_It's hard to say when he'll wake up, but he will pull through. But… he won't be able to speak. There's a high chance he won't ever again."_

Ever again was a long time.

A thousand images of Bumblebee flashed in front of my optics.

His first word; which was Optimus much to Chromia's amusement and my disgruntlement.

His first steps.

That time he got hurt in the Rec room and didn't tell me. And still hadn't.

Bumblebee grinning, the twin's arms looped around him as they stood in their new armor.

The way he looked at that femme, Arcee.

He would never be able to say I love you to the one being he wanted to. My son would never call me dad. He wouldn't sing again. A towering rage built in my chest and I set Chromia down on our berth.

"Will you be alright, 'Mia? I'll only be gone for a few joors."

"Yes," she whispered, curling under our thin thermal cover. I gave her forehead a kiss and went into the hallway.

My son needed me.

**Chromia**

_I watched as that monster threw my Bumblebee, my sparkling, to the ground like a piece of trash and fly off. I screeched in pure maternal rage and ran to kneel beside him._

_His neck was gaping open and crushed halfway down. I jammed my hand into the wound to clamp off the energon while Ironhide yelled for Ratchet._

"_Listen, to me Bumblebee, you're gonna be alright. Yes its mama. No, don't close your optics! Look at me!"_

_But my words fell on deaf audios as Bee's optics dimmed. Ratchet ran over and I was dragged away as I hear the wine of his saw and smelled melting protoform. Abruptly a sharp pain seared through my chest as I watched Bee's body arc into the air as his wound was temporarily sealed._

_Then, nothing._

Now, I was lying on a spare berth in the Med Bay, watching my youngling from where I was. He was able to intake on his own now, but he still hadn't onlined. Hide was recharging in a chair by the window, his cannon humming and ready to go at a klick's notice.

"…ther."

I shot up from the berth and looked over at Bumblebee. His baby blue optics were glowing, but his mouth opened and closed as garbled sound came out.

"Moth…Da…can-chet. Opt…ime."

Then his vocal processor went silent and I saw his hand reach for his throat in panic. I immediately shot out my hand to stop him.

"No dearspark."

I recoiled in surprise when my hand was smacked away. Ironhide was startled awake by the noise and rushed over to Bee's side.

"You're awake, thank Primus I was-"

Bumblebee smacked his hand animatedly on the berth. I understood.

"Hide, quick, look for a data pad so he can tell us what he needs!"

He flung one at me and I placed it in Bee's hand. It took a moment for the data to upload.

'DID WE WIN?'

"Well, the Allspark is gone if that's what you mean. We lost many mechs and several went missing."

"We were only able to get you back because of some decepticon femme."

I saw Bumblebee's optics widen.

"Did you know this femme?" I asked in severity even though I was eternally indebted to her.

'IS SIDESWIPE OKAY?"

And then it dawned on me. I shook my head, clenching my fists. The noisier of the twins hadn't said a word for a cycle now. Sunstreaker wouldn't let anyone get close to them and they finally retreated into their shared quarters and hadn't left it for two orns now.

'TELL HIM I'M SORRY ABOUT HONOR. AND TELL OPTIMUS, I'M SORRY."

"Why?" asked 'Hide "You've done nothin' wrong."

'I BROKE MY PROMISE.'

I pulled my youngling to my chest and stroked his back where his doorwing was still missing. He clutched at my back and I knew all he wanted to do was roar with all his might across the plains.

**Sideswipe**

The Rec Room had been lit up with lights when we returned. Some of the others had thought we might need it when we came back.

Honor had died with a flash of light.

My chest felt empty. I had been going to ask her to bond with me after the mission. Now, all I had was her necklace that I had given her. It was charred, but I clenched it tighter in my hand.

Honor had died to protect me.

I remember how she used to hold my head in her tiny, but sturdy, hands and whisper gentle things to me. Now it was my brother, telling me not to leave him. I let out another chest-wrenching sob. Then I swung my hand out in anger and knocked the trashcan across my room.

"FRAAAAAAG! WHY COULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN ME!" I howled and I got up and flung the chair too. Sunny came running and I threw a light at him.

"Leave!"

"Sides-"

"LEAVE ME!"

I let out one last cry and collapsed onto the floor, bawling like a small, pathetic sparkling. I could hear her scolding me.

"_What are you, a neutral? Pick your pansy aft up and go kick their afts!_"

But the pain was too much and I just lay there, unmoving and still. I hadn't felt this type of pain since my parents died. And even then, it hadn't hurt this bad. It was like not having a bond with Honor made the pain all the more agonizing.

Honor, my Honor, was dead.

"DEAD! She's dead and I couldn't protect her!"

I let out another agonized howl and beat the ground. This time, Sunstreaker had Ratchet and before I could strike out at them, a needle was jabbed into my neck and I fell into unconsciousness.

"_Sideswipe?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_Do you love me?"_

_I looked over at the deep green femme next to me. Her crimson eyes glowed softly in the twilight._

"_Yes."_

"_Good," she said, stroking my face with tenderness I know she didn't show anyone else. Her delicate wings gave a small flutter behind her when I traced a hand up her leg and abdomen._

"_Why do you ask?"_

"_No one has ever loved me before. And I haven't felt love for anything since my sister died. It feels…nice."_

"_Just nice?" I asked, teasing._

"_Fine, it feels…amazing."_

"_That's my girl," I said, then I tackled her._


	12. In Which the Femmes Threaten Their Mechs

_**Encounters of the Spark: Epilogue**_

**Warning: umm, it's rated M for a reason so I gave you guys some suggestive content and a little horizontal spark tango. And did I even say this? : I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS. Don't sue me.**

_In Which the Femmes Threaten Their Mechs_

_**Vorn: **_108,433 of the Great War- The Orn of the Ark Departure.

**Ironhide**

"One scratch, Hide! One scratch on his paint and I. Will. Kill. You."

Bumblebee was shrugging at me from behind Chromia as she swelled to her intimidating height of twelve feet to glare at me.

"And you," she said to Bumblebee "Your father is an old mech, don't let him run around with you and those other turbo revvin' young punks! I don't want to come after you and find a squeaky jointed sparkmate!"

Then she jumped on our son and held him to her chest.

"I don't want my sparkling to go!"

Bumblebee twittered piteously and I took the bait and pulled Chromia off of him. I pulled her over to the side to let him go say goodbye to his friends.

"Chromia" I said, pulling her face close to mine "You know I won't let anything happen to him." Chromia nuzzled me and I let out a groan.

"I know you won't. But what is this chest moaning for? Are you still that horny?"

"Chromiaaaa!" I pathetically whined "I won't see you for a _long, long _time."

"Alright, once more and that's it!"

I let her lead us away into an abandoned warehouse. I knew she wanted to bond just as bad as I did.

Oh yes, I do love my sparkmate.

**Sunstreaker –Warning, he's a very dirty mech- (Not really, but I love messing with him)**

"Moonracer…" I whispered in her audio from behind her. We were still in our apartment; I didn't have to leave for another few joors.

"Sunstreaker, we just got done not even half a joor ago!"

My chest hummed with want for my mate. Moonracer shivered in my arms.

"Alright," she whispered, trailing her hand down my cheek. I encircled her hips with my hands and backed her against me.

She leapt into my arms and I carried her to our berth, kissing her all the way.

I laid her down and pried her interface panel off her neck and she wrapped her legs around my when my hand cable connected. I poured every thought I had of her into that bond and she arched up against me, moaning my name.

"Hmm, I don't think that was loud enough," I whispered in her audios. I sent a volt of higher electricity along with the adoration I felt for her and she practically screamed for me.

Then Moonracer managed to flip me over and I felt her feeling around for my interface rod.

"Oh, feeling frisky are we dear?"

"You…horny fragger… I am going… to make you suffer," Moonracer panted, and then she purred when I thrust up into her port.

"Oh really now," I said, rolling over and putting almost all my weight on her. My helm touched hers and I gave her a deep kiss. "And what would you call this?"

"You can't open my chest plates unless I want them too, hmm?"

In response I kissed that one spot on her abdomen that made her howl my name so loud, I'm sure the old femme below us heard.

"Aft shaft!"

"That's my name sweetspark, say it again!"

I kissed her chest and I heard her plates slide open without protest. I grinned and mine slammed open, my spark pulsing wildly, calling to hers. Moonracer grabbed my arms and pulled me down to meet hers and I felt myself melt into my mate. This one femme who could make me do anything her spark desired.

I rolled off of her a few klicks later, my intakes heaving.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," I whispered in her ear. She was about to reply when I heard the other part of my spark call.

"Mama! Papa! I's done with my nap!"

"No, lay back down Racer, I've got 'im."

I walked down to the tiny nursery where my 200 vorn old son was standing in his crib, waiting for me. He smiled when I came in and I scooped him up into my arms.

"Did you have a good nap Stargazer?"

"Yes," he giggled and I nuzzled his helm.

"Papa?"

"Yes my little one?"

"Are you going away?"

My spark clenched. This kid was too slagging smart sometimes!

"Yes, but I'll come back soon. I have to go find the allspark."

"Oh."

Then Stargazer's clear blue optics turned on me and they welled up with solvent.

"Don't go papa! Don't go!"

I almost cried too. Me, the mech famous in Kaon for killing the most mechs in the rings, the sociopathic, vain aft shaft of a mech was about to cry. Moonracer heard the racket and came out of our room, her soft blue eyes sad.

"What are you doing to my sparkling?"

"I don' wan' papa to go!" wailed Stargazer.

Suddenly, my comm. linked. It was Sideswipe.

"I took your place."

"What?"

"I took your place on the roster. You won't have to leave."

"Sideswipe," I groaned "You can't… no."

"Hey, I've got nothing here. You take care of that baby of yours."

"I love you Sideswipe," whispered Moonracer into my arm. "We all do."

"Do me a favor, and name that kid after me. I mean, what kind of name is Stargazer?"

I rolled my optics but I sent him a serious twinge over our bond.

'_Be safe.'_

'_No prob, I've got Ironhide and Prime with me.'_

'_Fragger.'_

'_Aft shaft.'_

**Optimus**

Elita was curled up in my lap on the roof of Decagon. I stroked her antennae as she leaned back into my chest.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I know."

"Elita-One, I think it'll make a fine name for a city. When I come back, I'll build you whatever your spark desires."

"Optimus you know all I want back is you. Although, a hot solvent pool would be nice."

I chuckled. "Only if we could go in in our protoforms."

Elita smacked my chest and burrowed further into my chassis. My spark fluttered like it used to when I didn't even know her name and I would watch her from my classroom.

"And we'll have a shuttle full of children. All named Optimus and Elita junior."

"If you want that many, you can find yourself another femme because the most you're getting out of me is four."

"Only four? But eight is such a nice number; we could have four of each."

Elita sighed. "You just want to bond eight times."

"Elita, we do that anyways."

She smacked me again and turned around to give me a kiss on the lips. I returned it eagerly and I heard my comm. link beep. It was Ratchet.

"When you're quite through fragging your sparkmate, I would like to perform a matinence scan on you."

"Frag off, you old bucket of bolts."

I knew I would get it later but right now, Elita came first. She straddled my lap so she could look at me with her tiny, but fiercely beautiful face. She pressed her lips to mine and I wrapped my hands around her head and pushed her against me.

"Optimus Prime, you're not going to get anything more until you come back to me with no less than a dent."

"You're insufferable Elita."

**And with that, this story is done! I'm so sad, but I enjoyed this one very much! PLEASE REVIEW! I might write and OptimusXElita story later since all my love seems to go to Ironhide and Chromia.**

**Thanks for reading ~ Mems**


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